


Sometimes (I Wish)

by jt4702



Category: Glee
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-09-19
Updated: 2015-12-16
Packaged: 2017-11-14 15:23:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 89,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/516783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jt4702/pseuds/jt4702
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Rachel finds out about Finn's little indiscretion with Santana and the subsequent drama, Puck and Quinn realise how awful they have treated Rachel. They both decide to make amends and offer the diva their friendship. Definitely AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Anything Glee related does not belong to me. I only own my OCs.
> 
> After I watched ep 2.09, this is what my muse came up with. A few things to keep in mind:
> 
> \- As stated in my summary, it's definitely AU.  
> \- I have a few OCs, but they won't take over the story. They're only present to advance the plot. I came up with them because I was tired of Rachel never having friends or support outside of her dads.  
> \- When I wrote the outline of this story, I did so before the rest of the season aired, so there will be some major differences. I'll more than likely ignore the whole Lucy Caboosey story line, or change it dramatically to fit the premise of this universe.  
> -Also keep in mind that in this story Carmel is located in Lima, just on the other side of town. 
> 
> Self-edited like everything else I write.
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 1

It has been a horrible couple of weeks for Rachel. Not only did she find out her boyfriend had lied to her for months, but the entire Glee Club was witness to yet another one of their crises. She wonders why she is such a masochist. From the very beginning, she has known that for any relationship to succeed, whether it’s friendship or romance based or both, there has to be trust and honesty between the parties involved. Even knowing this, she has gone back to Finn time and time again, with the same result. If it isn’t his lack of honesty, it’s lack of concern for her feelings. There is the ever present pressure for sex. Then of course, there is the ever present need to be the most popular boy in the school, because heaven forbid, he is seen openly defending her from the daily verbal and non verbal abuse in the form of slushie facials.

The situation with Santana of course is the straw that breaks the camel’s back, as the stupid saying goes. It gets her angry enough that once again, her judgement is impaired by the sheer strength of the rage and frustration the discovery leaves in its wake. She’ll even admit that out of the sheer desire to get even, she acted on impulse and without thinking yet again. Rachel is however, extremely glad that both she and Noah came to their senses and stopped going further than a serious make-out session and a little bit of grinding. In the end, she just couldn’t go through with it, one because she just couldn’t bring herself to use the one person who was nice to her since the entire ordeal began, and two because of her own principles. She still refuses to have meaningless sex.

It helps that Puck also comes to his senses as well. He has always known Rachel’s outlook on sex, and after the clusterfuck with Quinn the previous year, he tells Rachel he just can’t do that to Rachel. He tells her how she deserves so much more than angry sex for her first time. He finally admits that there is the fact that no matter what a douche bag Finn has been with Rachel, Puck also can’t bring himself to betray his still recovering friendship with him. Sometimes, it really sucks to get morals. In the end, both teenagers are happy that even though they were engaged in a less than honourable situation, at least they had enough sense to stop before their actions turned to regrets.

It was a true miracle they managed to perform well enough to tie with Dalton Academy. Truth be told, it was probably a blessing in disguise that Quinn and Sam got to sing the ballad, and Santana got the lead for their second solo because Rachel barely remembers the performances. After a lot of deliberation, she comes to the conclusion that enough is enough. Even if she has to spend the remainder of her high school career alone, she will not set herself up for that kind of pain ever again. Decision made, she sets out to find Finn and once and for all, put an end to the charade that masquerades as a relationship.

Rachel sends him a text that gets ignored, which only serves to rile her up even more. She eventually sees him walking out of the boys’ locker room with Puck, Sam, Artie and a few other jocks.

“Hey Rachel.” Puck says with a grin the second he spots the small diva.

“Hello Noah.” Rachel says with a small smile and wave of her hand, before she turns her face Finn.

Puck’s smile fades the moment he notices the diva turns to lock eyes with Finn. He has to clamp down on the urge to shake some sense in the girl, because it seems as if the girl is one again going to forgive his douche bag of a friend and let him walk all over her again. If Rachel notices the sour look crossing Puck’s face and his struggle to contain his already flaring temper, she isn’t letting on at all. Of course, knowing how single minded Rachel can be, it could also mean the girl never noticed a thing.

“Finn, we need to talk.” Rachel says without preambles.

“Sure, Rach, walk with us.” Finn says with what he hopes is a charming smile, all the while thinking to himself that once again, Rachel can’t live without him. He tries to hide the self-satisfied smirk by taking an extra large bite of his donut. He’s always hungry after working out with the rest of the team in their free period.

“Not here. In private.” Rachel says in cold voice laced with barely disguised anger. Her face is a mask of indifference, something that none of the boys have ever seen on the diva. “Don’t worry. It won’t take long. I’m sure your friends will be more than happy to wait for you before we need to make it to Glee.” Rachel adds as she notices how he looks between her and his friends.

“Uh, sure.” Finn says looking around, reluctance evident in his voice. “I’ll be back guys. Don’t eat all the donuts.” He adds to some of his teammates.

“Nah, we’ll just catch you tomorrow or something. You have your fairy meeting coming up soon, ‘sides, all the donuts are gone already.” One of the jocks says, earning him a high-five from one of the other boys there.

“That was a good one.” Another jock pipes in between snorts of laughter and all around high-fives and fist pumps.

“Yeah, whatever guys. Just knock it off.” Finn says uncomfortable with the teasing, shooting Rachel a sour look, which causes the diva’s face to morph into one of determination and a fire in her eyes that has been all but extinguished to roar back to life.

Puck has to fight the urge to pump his fist in the air and whoop with happiness once he hears Rachel’s voice and sees the determined look plastered on her face. Hopefully, it means that Rachel will dump Finn’s sorry ass and not let him walk all over her yet again. Sure, he feels bad for Finn what he almost did to him again, but it’s about time his fellow ‘hot Jew’ stood up for herself.

Rachel turns around and starts walking away the second she sees Finn reluctantly separate himself from the other boys to follow her. She will not give him the satisfaction of having her hang by his every word while they are in front of the school ever again. Her steps are sure and confident once again, something that had been lost during the farce that passes as their relationship.

“Could you slow down a bit?” Finn says as he tries to catch up to the rapidly retreating diva. Maybe things are not as great as he thought they would be. Who knew someone so tiny could walk so fast that he would have a hard time catching up, even with his extra height. It is quite a sight, seeing the diva storm through the hallway effortlessly while being followed by a giant puppy trying to keep up.

Not surprising, they end up in the choir room. Once Rachel is sure no one is there, she closes the door and leans against it.

“You wanted to talk?” Finn asks in his ‘oh, woe is me; the world is out to get me voice’.

“Please spare me the martyr act. There is no one here but me, so save the act for when you have an audience.” Rachel snaps, getting really tired of the attitude.

“That’s not fair Rachel. How long are you planning on punishing me? I don’t even see what the big deal is. We weren’t together so it doesn’t matter. You really don’t have a right to be pissed about it.” Finn says, thinking this is about his tryst with Santana during their sophomore year.

“I might have misled myself and said we were going to talk. Allow me to correct my oversight. I’m going to speak, you are going to sit, stand, lie down, and listen. Frankly I really don’t care if you hop on one foot while rubbing your head, as long as you pay attention.” Rachel interrupts before he gets further into his rant.

“Since you’re the one who brought your little indiscretion, I’ll humour you. Of course you’d think it’s not a big deal, but I have news for you. It is a huge deal. You lied to me for months. When I came clean and told you about Jesse and me, you had the perfect opportunity to be honest, and once again, you chose to lie to me. It didn’t matter to you that the rest of our teammates knew about it but me. It didn’t matter to you that once again, I became the laughing stock and the butt of all the jokes because once again, your precious reputation is safe. I’m done. I refuse to do this to myself any longer. Find yourself another girl who can act like your personal cheerleader and stroke your ego whenever you feel the need to. Perhaps Santana was the perfect choice considering that she is one.” Rachel says in a tone of voice and with a determination Finn has hardly ever seen Rachel use with him, or lately at all. There is no dramatics, no screaming, no diva tantrums, just a low, steady voice, and a gaze that could freeze and shatter molten steel within seconds.

“Come on Rach; don’t make such a big deal about it. Yes, I know lying wasn’t something nice, but remember, we agreed that no matter what we weren’t going to break up with each other. We promised we’d work through anything by being honest and open with each other. Being your usual drama queen won’t help at all.” Finn says in what he hopes is his best apologetic tone and his best puppy dog eyes.

“One, you do not get to call me that anymore. Two, spare me the quotes and the theatrics. You are only honest with me when you’re caught in a lie and you have no other choice but to tell the truth. You never respected me enough to treat me as an individual. During the time we’ve been together as a couple, whenever things didn’t go your way, you threw your share of fits. Whenever it suited you, we were a couple for the world to see, but every single time I needed you to stand up for us, for me, you put your popularity first. You care about it so much, I’m giving you the chance to make sure it always stays up. We are through. For once since we’ve met, I’m going to put myself first when it matters. Have a happy life. I just hope that whatever animosity this will result in, that it won’t affect our team’s future performances.” Rachel continues with the same intensity. She doesn’t even bother with the cliché of trying to remain friends. She knows it’s not possible, at least not any time soon.

“You’re not being fair. You’re being all drama queen again. I’ve told you before that I need to be on top in order to keep you safe.” Finn starts to say, only to be cut off again by Rachel.

“Don’t start. You’ve been on top of the popularity rung and you still won’t do a thing about your buddies and their slushies. I might have dumbed down my vocabulary for you, but I am far from being stupid. I refuse to keep making excuses and justifying your deplorable behaviour. I really don’t have the patience to listen to the same spiel over and over. I’m not rehashing a dead topic anymore. This isn’t really up to discussion, and there really is nothing you can say or do to change my mind. You can serenade me during Glee until you turn blue in the face and it will not change a thing.” Rachel says, her patience and the grasp of her flaring temper slipping further with each passing second.

“But I love you.” Finn starts to say with his wounded puppy look and voice.

“No you don’t. You love the idea of having a girlfriend. Actually, you love the idea of having someone fawning after you telling you how wonderful you are.” Rachel says in a defeated tone.

“How can you say that? I do. I would do anything for you.” Finn counters, getting desperate now. Usually one well placed ‘I love you’ and Rachel is back in his arms.

“How can you even claim that when you have a hard time standing up for me to your buddies. Do you have any idea what it feels like to always come in second to just about anything else in your life? I’m tired of being a side thought who only matters when you need your own cheering section. I’m tired of being shoved away when you think that being with me will be a detriment to your reputation. I’m tired of competing for your attention because you have guys’ time with your teammates. I’m tired of competing with your video games. I’m tired of the guilt trip you lay on me because I’m not ready to have sex with you. I’m not ready to make love with you because I honestly don’t think you know the meaning of the word.” Rachel says, not sure if she should laugh or cry at this point.

“I defended you against Santana during my mom’s wedding when she was calling you names.” Finn interjects, and soon enough, the expectant look of a puppy waiting for a reward for not peeing inside makes its appearance in his face.

“Or so you say. But I’ll humour you again. Once out of how many times I have been put down by just about everyone in the school? Does the phrase ‘too little, too late’ mean anything to you? Ever since we became a couple, I can hardly recognise myself. I have allowed my desire to be in a romantic relationship with you cloud over and shadow who I am. I don’t like who I’ve become when we’re together. When two people love each other, they are supposed to bring the best out of the other. We bring out the worst in each other. I have done things I’m not proud of, which I am taking full responsibility for. I’m making sure I don’t lose myself further. I need to find myself again, and for that I need to take a step back and be alone for a while.” Rachel says, voice brimming with the confidence she used to have.

“So, it’s like we’re taking a bit of a break, right? I get it. All couples go through that. Maybe we should go back to Miss Pillsbury for another counselling session and we can get back together faster.” Finn says with a lopsided smile.

“No Finn. I need someone who can accept the person I was. I need someone who accepts the person I am today. I need someone secure enough who will not try to mould me into someone I’m not. You’re clearly not that person. You’re not happy unless I hang by every word you say. You make no effort to understand me at all. I’m tired of your double standards. You’re lucky that all your friends go to this school. I barely get to see mine, and when I have the opportunity to do so, you make me feel horrible for wanting to spend time with them. You don’t respect me. It’s clear how easy it was for you to lie to me about something that to me is so important for months on end. And the only reason I found out was because Santana blurted it out in whatever attempt to hurt me yet again. The rest of Glee knew, and you had no problem putting me through that kind of humiliation. If anything, you seemed to revel in it. I’m done putting myself second.” Rachel continues, feeling lighter and better for the first time in months.

“I have always put emphasis with trust and honesty, so it starts with me being honest. During the time we have been in limbo, in the middle of my anger, I did something I’m quite ashamed of. I wanted to hurt you the same way you did. I wanted you to experience the same humiliation and pain I did, so I propositioned Noah. Thankfully, we both came to our senses and stopped before things got really out of hand. This just emphasises the fact that I have lost myself because I have always put great importance to being monogamous, but ever since I’ve met you, I have faltered in my beliefs and I find that unacceptable. I hope we can eventually work out our differences and perhaps even become friends.” Rachel says before she turns around and reaches for the doorknob.

“You cheated on me. After everything I went through with Quinn, you had to choose Puck to whore yourself around with, knowing how it would hurt me. You’re a liar, and a cruel girl. No wonder you can’t make and keep a single friend here. It’s impossible to be friends with a nasty whore like you. Good riddance. By the end of the day, the entire school will know I dumped you again. You will no longer be able to use me to be popular.” Finn says with a sneer.

The words hit Rachel like a physical blow. She staggers backwards, glad she is leaning against the door because if she wasn’t, Rachel is sure her knees would have buckled and she would have crumpled to the floor. Soon, she recovers, and before she knows it, she advances on him and slaps him with everything that is in her, splitting the corner of his mouth. “After everything I said, it would figure you would focus on the very last bit. You just couldn’t be mature once and let things go without attacking me.” Rachel hisses, fists clenching by her sides, chest heaving with each deep breath taken in order to calm herself down.

“You have done nothing but insult me and attack me.” Finn yells.

“One, I’m not deaf, so there is no need to try and burst my eardrums. I would rather not have the sound of your voice be the last thing I hear in this world. Two, everything I have said has been the truth. Three, if I were verbally attacking you, I’d be calling you a simpleton with the IQ of an amoeba, only I’d be insulting the amoeba population. I’d be saying something along the lines that I surely hope Santana got more than just dinner out of your little affair, considering your early arrival issues. I’d be saying that parasites like you disgust me to the point that if I were ever need to cool off in the middle of a make-out session I’d be picturing your stupid face.” Rachel counters, voice and body language dripping ice, venom, and disdain.

“You’re still a cheating whore.” Finn yells again.

“You’re one to speak, you hypocrite.” Rachel counters in an even voice, even though she can feel anger pouring out of her in droves.

“I never cheated on you.” Finn yells, wiping the trickle of blood from his chin and holding his now stinging cheek.

“No, but you cheated on Quinn. You kissed me when you were still with Quinn. The only reason you didn’t push for more that afternoon in the auditorium was because of your early arrival issues. Then there is the time you used me and asked me out on a date just to get me back on Glee. You were still officially with Quinn then. You don’t get to act all self-righteous on me. And before you even say anything about it not being the same, need I remind you that you begged me not to say anything to anyone? Yes, what I did with Noah was reprehensible, but I’m not the only one at fault here. I take full responsibility for that because, however erroneous it was, it was a choice I made and I took steps to at least be honest about it and told you about personally. Does Quinn even know you were the one who kissed me first instead of the other way around? But I’m digressing here. Every other issue we have, we have an equal hand in those. At the very least, take some responsibility for your own actions.” Rachel says, fighting back tears. She will not give him the satisfaction of letting him see her cry.

Before he can counter with anything else, she turns on her heels, opens the door, and steps out. Out of the corner of her eyes, she notices the remaining members of New Directions trying to look as if they weren’t listening in. ‘Figures that even for this I have an audience, and with my luck, all they heard was Finn’s last rant.’ Rachel thinks resigned. Surprisingly, she can’t really muster enough energy to care at the moment. All she wants to do is hide from the world.

“Are you ok?” Puck asks once they make eye contact.

“Not now Noah. I need to be alone.” Rachel says, still fighting back tears. She steps out of Puck’s attempt to hug her. “I’ll see you later.” She adds. She turns around ready to storm off, but she hesitates in her steps. She then turns around to face Santana.

“You can have him, but a word of advice here. You better be careful because if you fail to stroke his ego, he’ll probably go around looking for that from someone else.” Rachel says before she storms off in the hopes that some alone time will aid in calming down a bit.

Puck isn’t sure what to do. Part of him wants to follow to make sure Rachel is all right. The other part of him wants to finish what Rachel started and pound the living daylights out of Finn, because friend or not, he shouldn’t treat Rachel or any girl like that. In the end, the decision is made for him, because next thing he knows, the small diva is nowhere to be seen.

Puck takes the opportunity to storm into the choir room and tackle Finn as the quarterback tries to make his way out; looking as if someone killed his goldfish and the world is out to get him.

“What the hell dude?” Finn says as he scrambles to his feet in time for a fist to land on his gut.

Before things can get out of hand, Mike and Sam jump in.

“Stop Puck. You get caught fighting again, and you’ll go back to juvie and you’ll be expelled.” Quinn says trying to calm him down.

Puck stops struggling at those words. He promised his mom he would watch it and try not to get in that kind of trouble anymore. He manages to get himself free of Sam’s hold once he feels his grip relax the moment he stops struggling. Puck then turns to Finn, a look filled with hate marring his handsome face.

“What the hell was that for? Did you want to rub it in that Rachel is nothing more than a two bit whore and the two of you were having fun at my expense again?” Finn spits out.

The boys tense, ready to restrain Puck again, should he try to go after Finn again, but before they can even move, Quinn steps forward and slaps him with the same intensity Rachel did, splitting his lip further in the process.

“You’re nothing but a hypocrite, lying asshole. I’d call you a son of a bitch, but it would be such a disservice of me to insult your mother when you’re the one being an asshole to end all assholes.” Quinn spits out, stopping Sam from trying to restrain her with nothing more than a glare.

“You’re the biggest and sorriest excuse of a man I have ever known. Your existence taints my gender. If I got my way, I’d cut off your junk and spare the world of anything that you might spawn, but you’re not worth it. You have treated the only girl that has always given you a free pass to act like a complete and total asshole time and time again, like she is nothing but scum on your shoes. We all have and I’m sick of it. No matter how shitty we are, Rachel is always there when we need her, and before you lot even begin to say she is a self-absorbed diva, take a close look in the mirror. Yes, the girl speaks more than a damn chipmunk on speed. Sure, she wants to be put up on a pedestal, but who doesn’t? And she wants the world to revolve around her, but then again, we all do. The difference is she knows it and admits it. When we need her, she is always there with a smile and her willingness to help.” Puck says through clenched teeth. “Yeah, such a diva attitude, right?” He adds, tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Do you know that when Kurt needed help with an audition piece, he went to Rachel, and even though he has always treated her like dirt, she went out of her way to pick the perfect song for him? She was also the only one of us who openly spoke to him, our competition out in the open. She was concerned about his transition to the preppy school. Did any of you notice that throughout Dalton’s turn, she kept direct eye contact with Kurt and even reminded him to smile? She was the first one to stand up and applaud his team after their performance even though all Kurt did was dance and sing background. She was the only one who went to check on my mom and my little sister while I was away in juvie.” Puck spits out through clenched teeth.

“This is the same girl who offered you her support and friendship the second she found out you were pregnant.” Puck says turning his glare at Quinn.

“She is also the same girl who stuck by you and believed you last year during Sectionals when the rest of us were ready to burn you at the stake for spying for Sylvester and giving her our set list.” Puck says to Santana and Brittany. “And the same girl who gave up one of her solos for Sectionals after your performance, and in the end, the one who saved our asses from total and complete humiliation with a song she pulled out of thin air. And who gets the credit? This sorry excuse of a man for returning to us at the last minute.” Puck says pointing dismissively at Finn.

“You of all people should know better and make an effort to treat her better, yet you use her as your punching bag just to make yourselves feel better. You’re lucky I don’t hit chicks and I’m no longer in the habit of hitting the disabled.” Puck says turning this anger toward Mercedes, Tina, and Artie.

“She is the same girl who tried to get you all to stick up for Kurt while Karofsky was making his life a living hell. Fuck, even Schuester treats her like shit. He calls on her divaness, but ignores all the shit we do to her right in front of his very eyes. We could have owned Sectionals like we did last year had Rachel sung the solos, instead, we’re stuck tying for first place and only because the other teams sucked as well. You are all jealous of her talent. We all know that out of all of us, she is the only one that has what it takes to get out of this hell hole and we have been making her life crap because we’re all jealous of her. This fucking sucks.” Puck finishes his rant. He then turns to face Finn once again. “You so much start spreading rumours about Rachel to save your sorry ass; I’ll let the entire school know you used to wet your bed until you were fourteen.” Puck says loud enough for the rest to hear before he storms out of the choir room in a way that would have given Rachel a run for her money.

Finn looks at the stunned and slightly disgusted faces of those around him, and realises that they have all heard everything that went on during his talk with Rachel and have also heard Puck’s threat to him. So much for saving his reputation by announcing he dumped Rachel. He turns on his heels before uttering a single word and leaves, face burning in shame because he also knows they all heard Puck’s threat to him.

* * *

Rachel is determined to not give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry and broken. She makes her way to the only place where she can get some much needed alone time and perhaps get a chance to put things into perspective. She smiles when she sees that the grand piano is sitting off to the side on the stage and quickly walks to it. She lets her fingers fly over the keys before picking a random tune when she feels her iPhone vibrate against her pocket. She pulls out and her first real smile breaks out in what feels like ages. She quickly calls out the text and smiles even broader.

Alex Riley.  
We’re sorry we missed your performance, but we’re almost back. How about meeting us for a bit before we crawl home?

Rachel quickly types her response.

Sure. When are you guys arriving? You’re not the one driving, are you?

A few seconds later, her phone chirps and vibrates again with the reply.

Alex Riley.  
Should be pulling in to your school in about ten tops, & no. Gabe is, so relax.

Rachel smiles sadly before she types her reply.

I’ve got Glee meeting in a few . I doubt it’s anything important. Let me show up and hear whatever Mr. Schue has to say and I’ll meet you guys in the parking lot?

Rachel hits send and waits patiently for the reply, which again, comes within a few seconds.

Alex Riley.  
Cool. But, instead we’ll sneak in the auditorium and wait for you here. For such a shitty school, the place has awesome acoustics.

Rachel smiles at the message. She is tempted to skip Glee and just hide in the auditorium until she can meet Alex and the others, but once again, sheer determination kicks in, and she’ll be damned if she is going to let Finn take away the only extracurricular activity she sort of enjoys. Wiping her eyes dry, she picks up her purse and pulls out a compact to check her appearance. Once she is happy with how she looks, she squares her shoulders and walks to the choir room with her head held high. Soon, she can escape with her unlikely group of friends, but now, she has business to take care of.

* * *

The remaining members of New Directions minus Puck and Finn sit around the choir room killing time until it’s time for their meeting. They spare shame filled glances at each other as they replay the conversation they overheard (eavesdropped) between Finn and Rachel and Puck’s parting words before he stormed out. Most of them silently agree that the Mohawked boy is right. No matter how she is treated, Rachel has always been willing to put her feelings aside and help each and every one of them when it was needed. Then, they would grudgingly tolerate her and sometimes even treat her nice, only to treat her like shit all over again once the emergency was over.

“Santana and Quinn have the right attitude. Just because the girl is desperate for friends, doesn’t mean that we should be the ones to save her from herself. Rachel is a diva and a blabbermouth, and each time she opens that big mouth of hers to put us down I want to hit her as well.” Mercedes finally says to break the unbearable silence and trying to justify their behaviour.

“Shut the hell up Mercedes. You want to continue being a first class bitch to Rachel, then go ahead, but leave me out of it. You don’t get to use me to ease your conscience and justify your shitty actions.” Quinn says through clenched teeth as she levels her with a look. “I for one am ashamed of my behaviour. Yes, Rachel is overly critical of us, but if you think about it, every time she, as Mercedes so kindly put it, put us down, it has always been about our singing and our lack of effort. She has never attacked us on a personal level. I agree with Puck, enough is enough. We’re supposed to be teammates and we’re supposed to have each other’s backs. And before you say we do, let me remind you that you’re all sadly mistaken. We might behave like a team, but we always leave out our captain. We gang up on her and attack her because she is a willing escape goat.” Quinn continues, shocking every person there. Between Santana, Puck, and her, they have made sure Rachel’s life has been a living hell since her transfer during freshman year, so seeing and hearing her defend the diva is a really foreign sight.

Quinn looks on with disgust, understanding what Puck was feeling. The shame and guilt are overwhelming.

Sam tries to help by putting a comforting arm around her shoulders. “It’s not a big deal. I’ve dealt with Rachel a few times since I transferred here and she is a bit of a diva. It’s hard to be nice to someone like her. We’ll just continue to ignore her and that’ll be it. I mean, she did call us ‘Ken and Barbie’.” Sam says trying to play everything down, and like Mercedes, justify his own behaviour, since he never gave Rachel a chance, opting instead to climb the ranks of McKinley’s hierarchy by doing the easiest and quickest thing. Torment and tease Rachel Berry, resident overachiever and loser. It doesn’t help that everything he knows about the diva is through everyone’s perspective instead of his own.

“Don’t you dare try to belittle this. You weren’t here last year, or the year before that. You don’t get to swoop in and hear skewed versions of the events and make your judgements.” Quinn hisses as she slaps his arm away.

“What the hell? I understand you feel guilty, but it’s not that big of a deal. In every school, there are winners and losers. We happen to be the winners and she happens to be one of the losers. That’s life. I think you’re just feeling like shit because Puck reminded you of certain unfortunate events from last year.” Sam says with shrug of his shoulders.

The rest of the people there brace themselves for the explosion, and they’re not disappointed.

Quinn stiffens at the words. She shouldn’t feel so outraged, because in reality, she has said a lot worse to Rachel but at least she has always said them to the girl’s face. Hearing those words coming out of Sam makes something within Quinn snap like a taut violin string given too much tension. She slowly gets up and judging by the glint in her eyes and her body posture, every single person there save for Sam, know that it will be the Head Bitch In Charge who will be speaking and not their fellow Glee clubber. They all brace for the shit storm about to be unleashed.

“Says the boy who puts lemon juice on his hair thinking that by being blond he’ll be better accepted and have an easier climb to being popular. Says the closeted sci-fi geek who can quote and speak made up languages from TV shows and movies. What you called ‘certain unfortunate events’ was one of the most difficult times of my life. You have no idea what happened then, so you have no right to mention any of it. You try to pass yourself up as this self-assured boy, but you’re nothing but a follower, just like the rest of us. You came in here and joined Glee because Finn convinced you it was the ticket to popularity. You joined the football team because jocks tend to be popular. You started to torment and tease Rachel, despite the fact that she was your best friend’s girlfriend just because it was the easiest ticket to being popular. And when Puck of all people tells us what a bunch of sheep we have been, you go and act like a five year old trying to justify why it’s ok to steal cookies.” Quinn says, all of a sudden Rachel’s words about losing herself while in a relationship echo loudly in her mind. She looks between Sam’s shocked face and her hands, and realises with startling clarity that once again, she has let her fear and others dictate her life. A look of disgust crosses her face as she pulls off the promise ring he had given her and drops it by his feet, just when Puck makes his way back to the choir room after cooling off a bit.

“Consider us officially over. I knew it was too soon for anything. I should have just followed my instincts. Instead, I allowed my fears to rule me again.” Quinn adds as she moves away to sit on the opposite end of the choir room.

Sam, not one to be humiliated in public, follows Quinn. He reaches over and is about to grab Quinn’s wrist to turn her around when Puck steps between them.

“I wouldn’t dare put a finger on Quinn if I were you, Platypus Lips. I believe the lady told you it’s time to go your separate ways.” Puck says with fire blazing in his eyes. Mike and Artie move to stand beside Puck as well, each one taking to heart what the self proclaimed badass has said about their behaviour.

Sam takes a look at the three boys standing in front of him, and reluctantly backs off. He could maybe take on Puck and send his sorry ass back to juvie, but with Mike and Artie helping, he knows that any chance of making it with Quinn would go up in smokes if he attacks a kid in a wheelchair.

Before anything else can happen or anything else can be said, Mr. Schuester walks in with Finn, who still looks like a kicked puppy. They’re followed shortly by Rachel.

Not surprising at all, the diva walks in giving a weak wave and smile Puck’s way. Without sparing a single glance at any of them, and as calmly as she can, she situates herself as far away from the rest as humanly possible and still be in the same room.

Puck quickly returns the wave and moves to sit by the diva. Quinn and Brittany offer the diva a wave and broad smiles, causing Rachel to actually rub her eyes because she is positive she is seeing things. Before she can pinch herself to see if she is awake, Mr. Schuester clears his throat to get everyone’s attention on him.

“Okay everyone, despite everything, we managed to pull it off. We can now focus on Regionals and Nationals.” Schuester says to the subdued cheers of everyone.

“We heard that Miss P. married the finest dentist there is over the weekend. Sorry things didn’t work out between the two of you, Mr. Schue.” Santana says.

“Thank you, but I’d rather not talk about personal matters right now. Besides, the important thing is that she’s happy.” Schuester says with a shrug of his shoulder. “We’ve had a lot of drama these past few weeks leading up to Sectionals and beyond, so I figured a little informal singing should help us get our focus back. How would you like the next solo Rachel?” He adds, trying to ease his own guilt after accidentally hearing what Puck had to say to the others.

“If it’s all the same to you Mr. Schue, I’ll pass. I really don’t feel like singing right now so I will defer to our unsung heroes, Tina and Mercedes.” Rachel says with a forced smile. ‘At least not with my present company.’ She thinks.

“I don’t have to be told twice. Hell yeah, it’s about time the rest of you acknowledged my talent.” Mercedes says looking pointedly at Rachel as Mr. Schuester hands out sheet music around.

Rachel quickly pulls out her iPhone and fires out a quick text.

Nothing important is going on here, so I’m on my way to the auditorium.

“Mr. Schue, since we’re not really going to focus on our upcoming competitions, I will take my leave.” Rachel tells Schuester once she puts her phone away. “I’ll see you tomorrow Noah. Thanks for everything.” She adds turning to Puck and pecking him softly on his cheek before she leaves the choir room without a backwards glance. One glare from both Puck and Quinn stops anyone from uttering a single negative word.

Rachel then makes her way to the auditorium and when she sees her friends, she launches herself into Alex’s arms.

“God, you’re a sight for sore eyes.” Rachel mumbles into his chest before all the tears that she has been holding back come spilling out.

“Hey, what’s wrong my Little Robin?” Alex asks the sobbing girl in his arms. The others gather around, ready to kick ass, all familiar with the way Rachel is treated in this school.

Rachel eventually pulls away enough to tell them a condensed version of what has happened to her since they last spoke. “Don’t do anything stupid Alex. I know you want to pound his sorry behind, but you need to take into account that you’re twenty-one while the rest are still underage. Besides, they’re not worth it.” Rachel says once she feels the arms holding her tensing.

“Come on guys, time is a-wasting here. We need to make it home soon, before we get disowned. And we still need to cheer up our Little Robin.” Gabe, the other young man in the group walks around the stage and sets up the instruments that are already there from previous practices.

“What do you feel like singing Rach?” Kelly, the last person with the group asks Rachel as she takes her place by the drums. They all know the quickest way to cheer the young brunette is through song.

“I think it’ll be better if you guys choose. If it’s up to me, we’ll end up doing something sad and depressing because that’s what I feel like right now.” Rachel says as she takes her place on the piano bench.

“Nope, if it’s sad and depressing songs you want, then it’s sad and depressing songs we’ll do. At least for now. Besides, we all know you need your fair share of sad and depressing songs before you can start to feel better.” Alex says as he lets his pick fly around a few test chords on the electric guitar he is ‘borrowing’, trying to get a feel for the instrument and to make sure it’s tuned properly. “What does your perfect pitched ear tell you, my Little Robin? Is this guitar tuned to your expectations?” Alex adds with a goofy smile.

“Yeah, everything is fine. We just used them to practice for Sectionals and it doesn’t appear as if anyone has touched them since. Uh, how long do you guys have before you have to leave?” Rachel asks, not wanting the others to get in trouble because of her.

“Depending on length, we can do two, three songs probably. So, what do you feel like singing?” Gabe asks.

“You really don’t have let me pick, or even do this right now…” Rachel starts to say as she lets her fingers fly over the piano keys before she is interrupted.

“Come on Rach. Just pick something because the longer you put it off, the longer we’ll be here, and the bigger the chances our parents are going to get pissy and not help us with our loads of laundry” Gabe says as he starts to hum a few bars here and there in preparation.

“Fine. How about we start with ‘burning in the skies’ and finish off with ‘waiting for the end’? Rachel suggests, choosing songs she doesn’t really need to warm up for, but kind of describe how she feels. They should be out of McKinley within fifteen minutes.

“Ooh! Good angsty choices. Good rhythm to both songs. Ok, count us in Kel.” Alex says in approval.

“Ok. On the count of four everyone. One, two, three, four…” Kelly says knocking her ‘borrowed’ sticks against each other. Then the sound of the piano fills the entire auditorium before Alex’s guitar and Gabe’s bass joins them, soon after Kelly’s drums sets the rhythm of the song and Rachel allows herself to lose herself in song and escape even if it’s just for a short moment. She’ll face the real world soon enough.

 

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Self-edited, so any missed grammatical and/or spelling errors are mine and mine alone.

Chapter 2

 

Schuester and the rest of New Directions decide to take it to the auditorium after working on the choreography, splitting the solos of their song and working on backing vocals, figuring they’d have more space to move around. As they get closer to their destination, they stop dead in their tracks once they hear Rachel’s unmistakable voice spill out of the auditorium and fill the hallway they’re currently in. They all do a double take and look at each other. It figures Rachel would choose the auditorium to isolate herself. The song they hear is familiar, but different at the same time. Adding to the confusion is the fact that along with Rachel’s, they can discern a few other voices as well. Through silent agreement, they walk the remaining steps to the auditorium as quietly as they can to see what’s going on. Once they’re sure they haven’t been noticed, they hide from view as best they can. The sight that greets them has everyone’s jaws dropping. Rachel on stage, playing the piano, and singing with some older looking kids they have never seen before.

As they spy on the group jamming on their stage, Puck and Quinn realise that for the first time in ages, Rachel looks relaxed and as if she is having some much needed fun. There are no worry lines marring her beautiful face. Though Rachel’s voice fills the auditorium clearly, it’s not overpowering the others. It’s a balance they have yet to learn as a group.

“Holy shit! They’re singing Linkin Park!” Puck exclaims in a loud whisper once he identifies the song. It causes everyone to freeze in place, and all eyes to alternate between the four on stage and their hopefully still hidden position in the auditorium. They let out a relieved sigh when the music goes on uninterrupted.

“Will you be quiet?” Quinn whispers back. “It’d be rude to disturb them in the middle of their song.” Quinn adds, although inside, she is positive Rachel would stop singing once she realises they have an audience.

After a bit, the rest realise Puck is correct. Those on their stage are singing one of the songs from Linkin Park’s latest album, only it sounds different enough to make it unique. Unlike their usual covers, Rachel and the others have truly made the song theirs. Once the last note of the song dies down, the others on the stage begin to talk amongst themselves. The rest of them are about to move and make their presence known, when Quinn lifts a hand to wave them off, curious to see what will happen next. They realise that if they’re quiet enough, the voices of those on stage will carry over easily to where they are.

There is a quick discussion on will be their next and last song they will sing. They talk and throw around various suggestions on how to arrange the song to fit their current set up. The group in hiding marvel at the way Rachel Berry actually listens to the suggestions of the other three and they in turn, listen to every single word that leaves the diva’s mouth. They can see four people who are really comfortable with each other. They all wonder how different things would be, if they had this version of Rachel amongst them during practice, instead of the ‘chipmunk on speed’ version they get to see and interact with every day.

*** * ***

“Ok places everyone, last song, and then we have to take off.” Kelly says, as she counts them in again.

The others stay hidden just as the sounds of the piano and electric guitar fill the air, followed by the bass and drums. Once the intro is done, the older kids start to sing while Rachel remains quiet, concentrating on the instrument. They are still shocked by the genre of the song and that Rachel is quite the accomplished pianist. Definitely not something Rachel they know would pick. They wonder how the others on the stage managed to convince the diva to give it a try, but judging from what they saw earlier as they discussed the arrangements, they are used to compromising and working together.

_This is not the end_

_This is not the beginning,_

_Just a voice like a riot_

_Rocking every revision_

_But you listen to the tone_

_And the violent rhythm_

_Though the words sound steady_

_Something empty’s within ‘em_

_We say Yeah!_

_With fists flying up in the air_

_Like we’re holding onto something_

_That’s invisible there,_

_‘Cause we’re living at the mercy of_

_The pain and the fear_

_Until we dead it, Forget it,_

_Let it all disappear._

 

The others stop singing and playing. Rachel takes over, accompanied only by the piano. They are all blown away by the soulful and husky quality Rachel’s voice takes. In all the times they have heard the diva sing, and it’s a lot, they have never seen or heard Rachel this raw and unmasked. She is not performing for an audience. She is singing for herself. It is truly a sight to behold.

_Waiting for the end to come_

_Wishing I had strength to stand_

_This is not what I had planned_

_It’s out of my control…_

 

After the first verse, the girl on the drums joins in, seamlessly blending the drum beat with the soulful sounds of Rachel’s voice and the melody the diva is coaxing out of the piano.

 

_Flying at the speed of light_

_Thoughts were spinning in my head_

_So many things were left unsaid_

_It’s hard to let you go…_

 

Then the two young men join in, and start to either harmonise with Rachel, or provide background vocals.

_(Oh!) I know what it takes to move on,_

_I know how it feels to lie,_

_All I wanna do_

_Is trade this life for something new_

_Holding on to what I haven’t got…_

_Sitting in an empty room_

_Trying to forget the past_

_This was never meant to last,_

_I wish it wasn’t so…_

_(Oh!) I know what it takes to move on,_

_I know how it feels to lie,_

_All I wanna do_

_Is trade this life for something new_

_Holding on to what I haven’t got…_

 

Rachel holds the note for a bit, and then the others take over again, bass and guitar notes filling the air, blending with the piano and drums. The transition of the softer part of the song to the more beat heavy once again is done as close to flawless as possible.

_What was left when that fire was gone?_

_I thought it felt right but that right was wrong_

_All caught up in the eye of the storm_

_And trying to figure out what it’s like moving on_

_And I don’t even know what kind of things I’ve said_

_My mouth kept moving and my mind went dead_

_So, picking up the pieces, now where to begin?_

_The hardest part of ending is starting again!_

 

An instrumental bridge follows, transitioning to Rachel’s voice as it sweeps in again, before they finish in a counterpoint, their voices, their instruments, and the different styles in the song blending in perfect harmony.

 

_All I wanna do_

_Is trade this life for something new_

_Holding on to what I haven’t got…_

_This is not the end_

_This is not the beginning,_

_Just a voice like a riot_

_Rocking every revision_

_But you listen to the tone_

_And the violet rhythm_

_Though the words sound steady_

_Something empty’s within ‘em_

_(I want to hold on to what I haven’t got)_

_We say Yeah!_

_With fists flying up in the air_

_Like we're holding onto something_

_That’s invisible there,_

_‘Cause we’re living at the mercy of_

_The pain and the fear_

_Until we dead it, Forget it,_

_Let it all disappear_

_(Holding on to what I haven’t got!)_

 

They finish with Rachel’s single voice filling the entire auditorium as she holds the last note for a few seconds.

“Feeling better Little Robin?” Alex asks as he puts down the guitar and unplugs it from the amplifier. The others following suit, making sure everything is shut off and put away properly.

“Yes, thank you for pushing me to do this. I didn’t realise how much I needed that.” Rachel says as she gets up from the bench and walks over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her head in his chest before the other two wrap their arms around the hugging duo.

“Anytime, Little Robin. You would have done exactly the same for any one of us here. I’m glad it cheered you up a bit.” Alex replies.

“You did great Rach as usual. Your voice is pure magic.” Kelly says.

They are broken out of their little bubble by Puck’s loud cheering.

“Holy shit! Rachel, since when do you sing anything but show tunes?” Puck asks. “You’re been holding out on me here.” He adds as he makes his way towards the stage.

The only reason Rachel doesn’t jump up a few feet in the air is because she is still safely cradled in Alex’s arms. The little scowl that comes and goes doesn’t go unnoticed by those surrounding Rachel. They tense at the change in the diva’s demeanour.

“Language Noah. What are you doing here? I thought you were singing something or other in the choir room.” Rachel asks once she manages to calm her heartbeat down to something that resembles normal before she takes in the rest of her teammates, along with Schuester slowly approaching the stage where the others are flanking Rachel protectively. The sight causes Puck to actually smile that **_his_** little diva has people who care for her and are not afraid to show it.

“I thought you were going home, so we’re even now.” Puck says with a grin as she approaches the group gathered on the stage.

“Technically I was going to head home, but my friends deemed it necessary to offer me an impromptu song session in order to lift my spirits. We were just about to leave when you guys walked in.” Rachel says with a shrug as the others join them on the stage, all wearing the same puzzled look. Some like Finn, Mercedes, and Sam also sporting barely disguised scowls on their faces.

Rachel jumps slightly when she hears Alex clearing his throat behind her.

“Oh, right. Introductions. How rude of me.” Rachel says with a nervous giggle once she takes in her friends’ demeanours and postures. Alex and Kelly are flanking her while Gabe is standing in front of her, slightly to the side so he’s not blocking her as she speaks. All three college students ready to move in at a moment’s notice. “Everyone, these are my best friends in the world. Alexander and Kelly Riley. Alex is a sophomore at Northwestern. Kel is freshman at Northwestern as well. This is Gabriel Chapman. He’s a sophomore at Ohio State.” She then turns to the group behind her. “These are the members of my Glee Club. You know my ex, Finn. This is Noah Puckerman, over there are Mercedes Jones, Quinn Fabray, Tina Cohen-Chang, Mike Chang, Brittany Pierce, Sam Evans, Santana López, Artie Abrams, Lauren Zizes and our director, Mr. Schuester.” Rachel waves her hand at the others.

Both groups of people eye the other suspiciously, the tension so thick that it would need an axe to cut through. Rachel looks around nervously, not sure what to do or say, until Alex breaks the silence.

“We’d love to stay, but we really need to get going. We took a slight detour to see and cheer up Rachel once we found out she’s been feeling a bit down.” Alex says with a look that could melt steel directed at Finn and the others. His face then softens up as he turns to Rachel. “Thanks for letting us crash your auditorium. Do you need a ride home? We could drop you off and be on our way in next to no time.” Alex says while he takes one of Rachel’s hands in his own, drawing Rachel’s full attention to him and away from her stressors.

“Thanks Alex, but no. I want to take the time it will take for me walk home to do some thinking. Besides, we all know that you won’t just drop me off. You’ll insist on coming in and stay until Dad or Daddy comes home. How will I live with the guilt of your dirty laundry haunting my conscience because you didn’t make it home right away? I promise I’m doing and feeling a lot better, and that’s all thanks to you. I’ll call you guys later, okay?” Rachel says squeezing his hand in unspoken relief and gratitude. “Besides, I might pass out from the fumes wafting out of your car.” She adds with a smirk.

“Uh huh. Just like we know that Mom would hang us by our toes if we just left you alone. It’s really no big deal.” Alex insists.

“I know. Go home. I know you miss your mom and she misses you.” Rachel replies.

“Just like she misses her Little Robin. She’s right you know? Just ‘cause Kel and I are away doesn’t mean you can’t just go and visit, but I’ll drop it for now.” Alex says as he allows his eyes to wander to the still gawking members of New Directions.

“Thanks.” Rachel says with a relieved smile. “I trust that you’ll be able to find your way back out to the parking lot?” Rachel adds after a beat before she takes her hand from his.

“Yeah Rach. We’ll be fine. We managed to find our way in without getting lost, so we should have no issues finding our way out. Are you sure you’ll be ok walking?” Gabe replies as he takes a step closer to Rachel. “Ok then, we’ll see you soon. Say hello to your dads” Gabe continues once he sees Rachel nodding emphatically in the affirmative. He chuckles at the sight, and then opens his arms to envelop Rachel in a bear hug before placing a kiss on the top of her head. “Call if you need anything. You won’t be interrupting anything because after the initial ‘Oh my God we’ve missed you so much’ from our respective parents, we’ll be drowning in dirty laundry. In fact, you may be saving us from hours of monotony of having to sort, load the washing machine, transfer to the dryer and folding said laundry.” He adds with a playful smirk before he turns and glares at Finn and the others.

“See you soon Rach. You’ve only gotten better since the last time we got together. As great as they are, those MySpace and Facebook videos do you absolutely no justice. You sound at least a thousand times better in person.” Kelly says, looking pointedly at the Cheerios before she pulls Rachel into another hug and places a kiss on the diva’s cheek.

“Thanks Kel…” Rachel says blushing. “...but it could just be a combination of the crappy soundcard and the lousy speakers you use.” Rachel continues with a giggle, only to receive a friendly slap on the butt from her friend.

“Behave you, or I’ll sic Fusilli on you the next time you come to the house.” Kelly says with an evil smile.

“You wouldn’t dare!” Rachel says with widening eyes, causing the three college students to burst into laughter at the memory of Rachel being buried under a one hundred and twenty pound Rottweiler mix licking her face for all he’s worth. “That’s just evil.” Rachel says in a huff, feeling infinitely better after spending even such a short amount of time with her friends.

“Call me the second you make it home so I know you’re safe.” Alex says hugging Rachel and kissing the top of her head as well. “Come on guys, get a move on. We need to get going before we get disowned.” Alex says as he nods politely to the others, or as politely as he can force himself to be. He knows he is being barely civil to the others, but he can’t bring himself to be nice to the group of people who are supposed to have her back, but instead, along with all the other bullies, have made Rachel’s life a living hell at McKinley.

Puck immediately walks over to Rachel’s side only to stop short at the glare he receives from the other three. They only resume their walk once Rachel gives them a nod to indicate that Puck is ok. Puck actually smiles at that.

“I was wondering why you were so willing to give up another solo. You thought you were too good for us again.” Mercedes says once she thinks Rachel’s friends are out of hearing range, forgetting that the acoustics of the auditorium were designed to carry sound to the very rafters up high and all the way to the last row without much aid.

The trio of college students come to a stop and turn around, fire blazing in their eyes. Rachel makes sure she catches their eyes and silently pleads with them to continue on.

For once, Schuester takes notice and jumps in, even before Puck can do or say anything. “That’s enough Mercedes. This isn’t a mandatory session. None of our practices are mandatory.” Schuester says. Puck’s words still very fresh in his mind. He breathes a sigh of relief when the other three continue their trek out. “Rachel, why don’t you join us since you’re already here? We’d love to you have you here and be part of this. We were going to call it a day after it so that should give you more than enough daylight to walk home safely.” He adds.

Rachel scrunches her eyebrows together in confusion, wondering what is going on. Since joining Glee, Mr. Schuester had never stuck up for her before; instead choosing to ignore the repeated insults hurled her way by the others. She looks around the stage and backstage area, trying to look for hidden cameras.

“Yeah, why don’t you stay, Rachel? It’ll be fun.” Puck says.

“We’ll teach you the choreography so you won’t get lost. And you know we just sing the songs like the original artists so the background stuff and chorus will be super easy for you.” Brittany adds with a sweet smile.

“Come on Rachel. It’ll be fun.” Quinn joins in, smiling shyly.

Rachel’s eyebrows disappear into her hairline because one thing is for Puck to be nice to her, but Brittany and Quinn? She makes a mental note to check the news reports to make sure there isn’t a blizzard in Jamaica or other Caribbean islands.

“Uh, ok.” Rachel mumbles, finding herself nearly speechless by the shock. She then pulls out her phone and sends a quick text to Alex.

**Staying behind for a bit, so will take longer to get home. Having Twilight Zone moment.**

While Rachel waits for his inevitable reply, she silently wonders if continued shock would be detrimental to her vocal chords. She’ll have to do some research into that, and perhaps make an appointment to speak to her family physician after consulting with her dads. Within seconds, she gets a reply.

**Alex Riley**

**Need us to come back to make sure they behave?**

Rachel smiles and sends her reply.

**Noah is here. I promise to walk out if things get bad. Will call w/ details later.**

Brittany squeals in delight before pulling her behind a set of risers in the back of the stage and proceeds to tell and show Rachel the entire choreography of the song.

Soon, Mercedes and Tina are singing ‘dog days ore over’ while the rest dance, and jump around the stage, singing the background vocals. Rachel is unsure on how to proceed when a few of the others openly smile and dance with her, Brittany going as far as to hold her hand throughout most of the song. For now, she decides to just go with the flow, no sense in messing up the number further. Even if it’s for fun only, her professional side never allowing her to just muddle through. She manages to ignore and avoid Finn. The only incident happens towards the end of the song, when Sam shoves her away from himself and Quinn, sending Rachel stumbling forward. Quinn quickly reacts and grabs Rachel’s hand and waist just in time, preventing her from falling down. She shoots a glare Sam’s way before she sticks to Rachel for the remainder of the song, never letting go of her hand.

When the song is over, Rachel heads to the piano and starts to gather her things.

As it is customary for Schuester, he leaves the moment their song is done, using ungraded assignments as his excuse for the hasty retreat. He has never bothered sticking around when they are not doing their last minute practice sessions before the looming deadline of a competition.

With a few well directed glares, most of them bid their good byes and leave as fast as they can without actually sprinting out. The second Schuester leaves, both Quinn and Puck shove Sam painfully around the stage area.

“What the fuck do you think you were doing shoving Rachel like that? Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?” Puck says, cracking his knuckles.

Rachel races over the moment she hears the confrontation, and lays a hand on Puck’s shoulder, drawing his attention to her. “Noah, don’t.” Rachel pleads; the implications and consequences of his actions hanging unsaid.

“Well, I don’t have the restriction Puck has.” Quinn says as she closes her fist and punches Sam’s face for all she’s worth, breaking his nose. “That was totally uncalled for. You don’t take your anger out on Rachel when you’re pissed at me.” Quinn hisses out, shaking her hand and flexing her fingers a couple of times. “I’ll kick your ass if your nose broke a bone in my hand.” Quinn says with a shrug.

“You’ll pay for this.” Sam says, clutching his bleeding nose.

“I’d love to see that. Your popularity and your reputation will plummet once the school finds out a girl broke your nose with one punch.” Quinn says with a sneer.

“Oh, don’t forget his nasty habit of hitting girls.” Puck says with a smirk.

“I could go to Figgins and report him for bullying. This time it should work better than it did for Kurt. After all, there are two willing witnesses who saw how without any provocation he shoved Rachel hard enough to nearly cause her to fall.” Quinn says with a predatory glint in her eyes.

Rachel stares at the scene unfolding in front of her. Did Quinn really hit her boyfriend in order to defend her? Did Quinn really threaten to go to Figgins on her behalf? Once again, Rachel rubs her eyes and shakes her head, sure that she is hallucinating. She pinches her arm to make sure she is awake and not having some kind of bizarre dream. The pain in her arm should be indication enough she is not dreaming. You’re not supposed to feel pain while dreaming, right? Maybe she did fall, knocked her head, lost consciousness, and woke up in an alternate reality; that had to be it.

“This isn’t over.” Sam sputters as he stomps out of the auditorium.

“Are you ok Rachel?” Puck asks once he is sure Sam is gone, bringing Rachel out of her thoughts.

“Yes, I am. We’ll talk later. You need to complete the last of your community service.” Rachel replies looking at her watch.

“You’re more important than that. The stupid song took longer and it’s too dark for you to walk safely home.” Puck starts to say in protest only to be silenced by Rachel’s fingers on his lips.

“You show up late and you’ll get in trouble. At the very least, they’ll increase your hours, at the worst they can send you back to juvenile detention thinking you’re skipping, again.” Rachel says.

“Go Puck. I’ll drive her home.” Quinn says, reminding the other two that the blonde is still there.

“You sure ‘bout this?” Puck asks, eyeing Quinn suspiciously, trying to determine if there are ulterior motives, or if his earlier words had the desired effect.

“I’m sure. I promise you this is legit.” Quinn says looking him straight in the eyes.

“I’ll call you later Rachel.” Puck says with a quick hug before turning to Quinn. “Thanks Quinn.” He says before he runs out to his truck.

“Thank you for your assistance Quinn, but you shouldn’t have struck Sam like that. I’m sure it wasn’t intentional. He, in all probability lost his footing or something. He probably thought he was going to fall and put his arms out to prevent an embarrassing face-plant in front of us. This was, after all, a brand new song we were doing.” Rachel says, breaking the silence around them.

“You’re welcome, but I know for a fact he did it on purpose.” Quinn says, trying to keep her voice even. She is angry with Sam and not Rachel, so it would not do to take out her anger on Rachel. She has done enough of that in the past.

“Not that I don’t appreciate it, but why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?” Rachel asks suspiciously, looking around and taking into account where the closest exits are. She hates being this paranoid, but memories of what happened with Jesse and the rest of Vocal Adrenaline in the parking lot the previous year are still fresh in her mind. There is a slight sense of relief when she remembers the time. Most of the students are gone, especially the ones who are on top of the hierarchy. They’re only in school premises when they have to be. They also stayed longer than anticipated. She is hopeful that none of the jocks and Cheerios would have the patience to stick around even for a chance to humiliate her with next to no witnesses. So if this turns out to be any kind of set up, at least it won’t be as bad as the egging incident, which took the entire Vocal Adrenaline team.

Quinn follows Rachel’s line of sight, and feels as if someone has punched her, once she realises what might be going through the brunette’s mind. She is alone with the girl she has tormented and bullied for two straight years. After her brawl with Santana over the Cheerios’ captaincy and Sam’s assault, could she really blame said girl for being paranoid? “I’m sorry Rachel.” Quinn says softly as she sits on the piano bench. She absently gestures for the diva to join her.

Rachel looks around a bit more, before her eyebrows scrunch up in confusion. Shortly after, she joins Quinn on the bench. Just what was Quinn Fabray of all people apologising to her for, and why? But before she can voice any of it, the re-instated Head Cheerio starts to speak again.

“I’m sorry for everything I have done. I know there aren’t enough words in the English vocabulary to express how bad I feel for the way I’ve treated you.” Quinn says looking into Rachel’s confused chocolate gaze, fighting the urge to look down in shame. She needs to show the diva how sincere she is.

“I’m going to be honest and admit I’m unsure how to proceed. I know it’s not fair because I shouldn’t hold the past against you, but at this moment, years of precedence and my sense self preservation is prevailing over fairness. Are you playing some kind of game? Are you setting me up for some sick joke? At the risk of giving you even more ammunition to use against me, these past few weeks have been horrible. The events that have occurred in that period of time have taken quite an emotional toll on me and I honestly don’t have the energy to deal with more. So, in the spirit of teamwork, I’m asking you to please stop whatever plan you have to humiliate me.” Rachel says, fighting tears. “If you can’t or are unwilling to, then postpone them at least until I can recover from this latest bit.” She adds in a broken whisper. She should have known better and not let her gullibility and desire for friends within the school mess with her common sense. She should have just left with Alex and the others.

The words feel like another physical blow. Shame and guilt slam the blonde with the crushing weight of Jupiter. Quinn feels her eyes sting with tears, but she fights the urge to shed them because she has no right to feel bad. She swallows hard against the knot from unshed tears that feels as big as the sun, and equally as hot, burning her throat. It feels horrible that the confident girl talking with her friends barely an hour ago is nowhere to be seen, replaced by this broken girl. “You’re not being unfair. You’re being smart. I deserve that and more. I know you have every right in the universe to doubt me, but I promise you on my life that I’m being sincere. I’m truly sorry. I know I have no right to do so, but I’m asking you to at least consider giving me a chance to make amends and fix my mistakes.” Quinn says, still fighting the urge to cry. “I won’t ever ask for a clean slate because there is no such thing after all I’ve done.” Quinn adds after a bit.

“What brought this change of heart? Why now?” Rachel asks in the same broken whisper.

“I spent a lot of time thinking about my past while I was pregnant. I experienced the thrill of being on top and the one in control. I experienced the total and complete humiliation of being at the bottom. I started last summer wanting to be a better person, but the easy life that popularity brings was too much of a temptation and I lost my way again. Puck said some words earlier that brought everything back into perspective and I knew I had to make things better. I don’t like the person I’ve become over the years.” Quinn says losing her battle not to cry, as tears fall down the flawless porcelain skin of her cheeks.

“I forgive you.” Rachel finally whispers before she closes her eyes and allows her own tears to fall.

“If it’s not too late, I’d like to get my head out of my ass and accept the offer of friendship you extended last year. I’d like to work on gaining your trust and perhaps I get to find out what it’s like to have a real friend. One who won’t stab me in the back.” Quinn says in a surprisingly vulnerable voice.

Rachel opens her eyes to stare into hazel pools. She is taken aback by the honesty, vulnerability, regret, and pain she sees in them. “I’d like that. Just give me some time to adjust to this side of you.” Rachel says. Her logical side tells her to rescind her offer. To tell the blonde she is too late, but what kind of person would she be if she didn’t give someone who is truly repentant a chance to make amends? After all, she gave Puck another chance and he has so far proven to be a good friend. So instead of doing the rational thing, she pushes aside her suspicions and follows her heart yet again. She hopes this time it won’t lead her astray.

Quinn then does something that stuns both girls equally. She reaches over and pulls the small brunette into a tight embrace, one the blonde hopes will convey the gratitude she feels but cannot find the words to express. “Thank you.” Quinn whispers, hoping that for now, it will be enough.

The girls spend the next few minutes in each other’s arms, crying, until Quinn finally releases Rachel and wipes her cheeks.

“Rachel, would it be ok if I ask you something?” Quinn asks softly.

“Sure.” Rachel replies.

“Why were you so relieved that your friends left?” Quinn asks. She had noticed how at ease Rachel was with them, and judging by their earlier body language, she was sure they would stick around until they were satisfied Rachel was safe.

“I knew it was only a matter of time before someone would say something mean to me. I could see how tense Alex, Gabe, and Kel were getting. I just wanted to make sure to keep them from getting arrested for assaulting minors.” Rachel admits softly.

“So you were only worried about your friends’ well being? What about us?” Quinn asks surprised at how it hurt to hear Rachel say that.

“Up until a half hour or so ago, I have had no friends within our team other than Noah. Even that has been a fairly recent development. While one of my priorities is the overall well being of our team, the well being of my friends will always be at the forefront of my mind.” Rachel answers.

“Oh.” Quinn mumbles. Rachel’s words once again making her feel the size of a microbe.

“I had no idea you could play so well. Why haven’t you said anything about it before?” Quinn asks once the silence becomes a bit uncomfortable between them.

“It never truly came up. As it is, everyone thinks I’m full of myself. I didn’t want to give the rest of you even more reasons to hate me or call me names. I don’t want to imagine how everyone will treat me now that you all know I can play.” Rachel replies as she stares at the fake ivory keys.

It doesn’t escape Quinn’s notice that Rachel still includes her with the rest. She shouldn’t be surprised. After all, they have made Rachel’s life very difficult. An hour or so of civil and/or friendly behaviour shouldn’t erase years of mistreatment. She would have to be dumber than Finn to believe otherwise.

“Why do you always criticise everyone’s performances? It only makes you look self-important and a show off. I mean, it would be so much easier if you kept some of your comments to yourself.” Quinn asks, cringing at her words, but curious to know why.

Rachel sighs in resignation. Of course that’s what they would think and see. “I really hate this town. To be more specific, I hate the typical closed mentality that comes with a small, conservative place like this. For as long as I can remember, my only goal has been to leave Lima. I know exactly what I want to do with my life. It’s only a matter of choosing Juilliard, NYADA, or NYU. Good grades matter, but it’s the audition that guarantees a spot. I know I can nail the audition, but the difference between being admitted early or wait-listed for late admissions might be actual local stage experience and what extracurricular activities I have joined while in school. For the programs I’m interested in, the only relevant ones are Glee and Drama. Everything else, just makes me look well-rounded, but don’t have any real weight. It carries more pull if I’m the soloist leading us to victories in state-wide and nation-wide level competitions. I push hard and let others know when they’re not pulling their weight because when you or the others do a barely acceptable job, it affects my future.” Rachel says. She sees the affronted look Quinn throws her, and Rachel brings up one hand to signal that Quinn should wait and to let her finish.

Quinn barely manages to hold her tongue and nod her assent.

“How would you feel if I were to join the Cheerios and do a job that can be only classified as barely mediocre? I know that a lot of the girls in the squad are hoping for scholarships in order to attend college. I also know that for you, Santana and a few others, being Head Cheerio isn’t just a matter of status and popularity, because college scouts know that to be named captain for a coach like Ms. Sylvester means that you are just that good. You ensure your team is flawless during each performance because it’s not only your future that rides on that, but the future of your entire team. As Glee captain, it is my job to make sure that we all do our best. It’s my job to make sure the songs we sing and the arrangements we do are suited to all our vocal ranges. When Mr. Schue picks a song out of his rear and gives it to Mercedes or Tina without so much as a thought of whether or not they have the range, ability, or technique to pull the song off, it makes us look bad, not just me. Not to mention how until Sectionals this year, he had always bypassed Santana, Brittany, Mike, and yourself. I don’t know if you have noticed this, but I don’t fight for all the solos indiscriminately. I only fight for the ones that I know no one else can pull off. When I know that I’m the only one that can do the song justice.” Rachel says.

“I never thought of it that way. You’re right. As Head Cheerio, I would have someone’s head on a platter if they were happy with a mediocre performance. I’d have them off the squad faster than Coach Sylvester could come up with a dig to insult Mr. Schue’s hair.” Quinn admits.

“Vocal Adrenaline excelled under my mom’s coaching because she never put up with mediocrity. She gave the solos to the best singers, and in their case, it was Jesse. She picked songs that complimented Jesse’s voice and range. She made sure to let the ones who messed up or were just coasting exactly what she thought of that and she fixed it. It’s the same reason why Ms. Sylvester has so many National titles under her belt. She has never settled for a ‘maybe’ or ‘that’s good enough for now’. For them, if it’s not the best, then it isn’t good enough. I’m just trying to make sure we always give our best. Something that Mr. Schue isn’t willing to do because he is too afraid to hurt someone’s feelings along the way.” Rachel continues. ‘Well, anyone else’s feelings as long as they’re not mine.’ She thinks sadly to herself.

“What about building someone’s confidence? That’s why Mr. Schue does what he does. As much as I admire Coach’s accomplishments, there is only so much you can get done through fear alone. There are some people that are good, but don’t know it. They are the ones that need positive encouragement.” Quinn counters.

“Believe me, I get that. I can understand if the person truly deserves the praise. But it’s really unfair when he gives a solo just to make others feel included. When we had the diva off for ‘defying gravity’, I know Kurt blew the note on purpose. I just don’t know why. I also know he had to practice very hard just to be able to reach it. I can do it in my sleep. I don’t even need a warm up and I can hit that note each and every time, illnesses like laryngitis or tonsillitis notwithstanding. I’m not saying scream, call everyone names, and be drill sergeants like Ms. Sylvester or my mom all the time. But you have to admit that they make sure everyone they command knows their limits. I don’t agree with some of their tactics, but they both know what they are doing.” Rachel replies, picking a simple tune on the piano.

“What do you mean then? So it’s all about winning at all costs then?” Quinn asks, trying to understand the diva. That’s a bit cold, isn’t it?” Quinn asks.

“On the contrary. I brought them up for a reason. You are Head Cheerio, not because you are popular. Popularity is a direct result of your title. You’ve been named captain twice now, because you have the right attitude and the talent for the position. You could have just tried out and just made it back to the squad, but Ms. Sylvester deemed you to be better than Santana and gave you back the title and position immediately upon your return to the team. It took Santana a lot of scheming and hard work in order to get named Head Cheerio, yet it took you a few hours at most. As obnoxious and self-absorbed as Jesse was, he was also the best singer Vocal Adrenaline had. You’re both naturally talented and you work hard to perfect that talent, but your work was never in vain. Ms. Sylvester and my mom had no problem making decisions based solely on the talent available to them. Out of the twelve of us, I _am_ the best singer. I have close to perfect pitch, yet no one cares.” Rachel says with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

The words hit Quinn hard. She has the position of captain once again, because aside from her ruthless disposition, she is also one of the best athletes the Cheerios have. She has the perfect combination of grace, athleticism, and dance skills. If Quinn is honest with herself, how Rachel behaves in Glee is eerily similar with how she behaves with the squad.

“How do you suggest the rest of us improve?” Quinn asks, surprised at how easy it is to talk to and listen to Rachel when the girl is allowed to express her thoughts without interruption, and by keeping an open mind herself.

“I’ll answer you soon, but first, allow me to ask you something. Would you ever tell someone they are the best at something just to spare their feelings or to build their self-esteem up when it’s clear they’re subpar at the task?” Rachel asks.

“No, I wouldn’t. Unless it’s someone I really like and even then, I wouldn’t tell them they’re the best. I’d just tell them they don’t suck. But all bets are off it affects my Cheerios’ performance.” Quinn answers truthfully.

“I would never want someone to tell me I’m the best at something when it’s clear that I’m not. I don’t want my self-esteem and self-worth to come from a lie. It hurts when I’m told I’m less than perfect with my endeavours, but as long as it’s the truth, I’ll probably throw a fit, but I gradually learn to accept it. If I’m told a song I interpret is flawed, I want to know why. I want to know what made it imperfect. I need to know where I messed up, where my technique needs polishing, so that I can work on it and bring it up to where the song is no longer just acceptable, but a true masterpiece. That’s exactly what I do when I tell someone they’re sharp, flat, or off key. I don’t do it to show off, or to make myself feel better. I don’t do it out of malice, although it could certainly be taken that way. I do it because if I bring attention to a problem, we can then take steps to fix it. Which in the end, it’s a step closer to reaching the perfection that will make us a winning team.

“Now, I’ll answer your question. In order to improve, I would go back to basics by first determining where everyone’s true range is. I would then make sure that depending on the songs that are picked, that the parts are given out accordingly. I would make sure that before we actually sing, we are properly warmed up. And I would certainly make sure I know just how much I can push each and every one of you without damaging your vocal chords. I would suggest increasing our practices to at least three times a week and extending each one to at least two hours. I would make sure to choose songs that would showcase each of our individual strengths. I also know that if I were to ever suggest that, every single one of you would scoff at me and once again, accuse me of being self-absorbed, self serving, controlling, and cruel for wanting to push my lack of a social life on all of you. I also know that Glee isn’t as important to the rest of you as it is to me. This is my shot at increasing my chances of getting admitted to the right college. To the rest of you, this is more a hobby, something to do because you enjoy it. I know I shouldn’t fault you for it, because none of you should work as hard as I do just to help me achieve my dreams, but it hurts when none of you ever stop to consider how important this is to me, or how your attitude has a direct bearing upon my future.

“If my solos were determined by my peers, I know that no matter how good I am, I would never get them because none of you are capable of seeing past my clothing choices and your preconceived notions of me.” Rachel says sadly.

Quinn wants to protest and defend herself and the others, but she knows Rachel stated a fact. She looks away in shame.

“Anyway, I must cut our conversation short, as it is getting quite late and I still need to walk home. Please believe me when I tell you I meant nothing bad. It was never my intention to verbally attack you. I was merely being honest.” Rachel says looking at her watch.

“I’m not taking it the wrong way. You have given me a lot to think about. And what do you mean walk home? I told Puck I’d drive you, so come on.” Quinn replies as she picks up her things as well.

“You really don’t need to Quinn. I appreciate the offer, but we live in opposite direction. No need to inconvenience yourself by going out of your way.” Rachel says as she starts the trek out of the auditorium.

“It’s no bother at all. This is something I would do for any of my friends.” Quinn says with a small smile.

The words make Rachel hesitate a bit and eventually she agrees. They slowly make their way to Quinn’s car. The drive to the Berrys is done with both girls taking the time to learn a little more about the other.

“Thank you for driving me home. Could you please wait a few minutes before you drive off?” Rachel asks once they pull up to her driveway.

“Uh, sure.” Quinn agrees, looking confused.

Rachel says as she sprints in the house only to come out a minute later with an icepack, a clean dish towel, and a roll of tensor bandage.

“I noticed how red your hand looks and you have been favouring it since you struck Sam.” Rachel explains as she examines Quinn’s right hand, poking it here and there, causing the blonde to hiss in pain.

“Sorry. I just wanted to make sure nothing is broken, and judging by the look of things, I don’t think you need to worry about that. The icepack should keep the swelling down and dull the pain until you can take something for it. If you wish, we could head to Lima General and have my dad look at it.” Rachel says as she gently wraps the icepack with the dish towel before securing it in place against Quinn’s knuckles with the tensor bandage. Quinn is absolutely marvelled at how gentle Rachel is. She just nods and stares.

“Uh, I think I’ll be fine. Thanks.” Quinn mutters.

“Keep it for about ten to fifteen minutes, take it off and leave it off for ten. Do that perhaps twice so it can really help. I’ll, uh, see you tomorrow.” Rachel says as she gets off the car for a second time.

“I will. Thanks for everything Rachel.” Quinn replies.

Quinn watches as Rachel practically skips into her house. She then looks at her hand and can’t help the smile that appears her face. She glances at the centre console of her car and is happy she drives an automatic instead of a stick shift. She can’t imagine having to shift gears with her right hand like that.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for the delay in posting the chapters I've already written... I keep forgetting that I'm still playing catch-up when it comes to this particular site & my stories.

Chapter 3

 

Rachel calls Alex and they set up a conference call with the other two the moment the front door is closed. Rachel goes into a detailed explanation of what happened once they left.

“I knew we should have stayed. Then that little punk wouldn’t have dared.” Gabe fumes.

“It’s ok. Quinn caught me just before I fell, and then she and Noah stood up for me.” Rachel tells them again, still having a hard believing that Quinn Fabray would actually come to her defence.

“I don’t trust her.” Kelly says once Rachel is done.

“I have my doubts, but I saw the look in her eyes. I’m willing to give her another chance, just like I did with Noah.” Rachel says.

“How many more chances will you give them, Little Robin? On the upside, at least you dumped the big troll’s ass.” Gabe says.

“Gabe! That wasn’t nice.” Rachel exclaims.

“You’re right. I shouldn’t insult poor, innocent trolls.” Gabe retorts, causing everyone to laugh.

“You’re hopeless. You don’t even know him.” Rachel finally says in between giggles.

“Not through fault of our own. We tried, but the dimwitted, crusty botch of nature decided to act like an overgrown toddler the one time we met. Only an insecure lout would get jealous of his girlfriend’s family and demand attention through countless temper tantrums. Needless to say, the impression he left wasn’t a good one.” Gabe continues.

“You’re the hopeless one, Little Robin. What are you doing defending that spineless moron?” Kelly cuts in.

“Well, to be fair, you’ve only met Finn once. Since then, you’ve heard nothing by my complaints and…” Rachel starts to say only to be interrupted again.

“His own doing Rach. If he was worth our time, his actions wouldn’t prompt that many complaints from you. I’d rather shave a hungry, rabid lion with a rusty and dull razor, rather than willingly spend a second with that spineless, self-serving asshole. I can’t speak for Alex and Gabe, but I really don’t feel like knowing the rest of your teammates either. If they can’t see how great you are, they’re not worth my time.” Kelly says, her quick temper getting the better of her again.

“Us too.” The boys reply in unison.

“I really love you for your undying support, but I need to believe that there is some good in at least a few of them. Otherwise, I’ll end up taking Fusilli to school and accidentally release him from his leash. Noah has been so good to me for the past month.” Rachel interjects.

“That might not be such a bad idea. First make sure Christine gives Fusilli all his shots.” Gabe grumbles.

“I won’t deny that, but for how long? And, what’s in it for him this time? Is he trying to get into your pants again?” Kelly adds, harsher than intended.

“I’d like to think that this time, there is no time limit. Need I remind you that he also couldn’t go through with my stupid plan to get even? I know you care, but please, lay off a bit. It would be nice to have someone in that miserable school to call a friend. Even Jacob has a friend in his camera man.” Rachel says, voice cracking a bit.

“Way to go, Sis.” Alex mutters darkly to his sister. “We’re sorry. She means well, Little Robin. We’ve seen them hurt you so many times that we tend to get a bit overzealous when it comes to keeping you safe.” Alex says in a much softer voice.

“I’m sorry Rach. Alex is right. That was really fucked up of me. Of course I want you to have friends. Please forgive me.” Kelly says regretfully.

“Language Kel, and of course I forgive you. I understand how you feel, but Noah’s company has been one of the few things keeping me sane. I’d like to think that this time is real.” Rachel confesses.

“We know. We’ll trust you, but we reserve the right to kick his ass if he breaks your heart again. Deal?” Alex says.

“I appreciate the trust, but no rear kicking. I will not have you arrested for assault because of me.” Rachel says, her smile apparent in her voice. “I can always invite him to join us at the coffee house on Friday. That way you can get to know him in a setting that’s to our advantage.” Rachel suggests.

“Are you sure you want him there? We could meet elsewhere.” Alex asks.

“Yes. I want a fairly neutral place where I’m comfortable. It’s also a public location. He has a temper, and so do the three of you. Besides, it’s a moot point now, since they already saw me and heard me play and sing with you guys.” Rachel says.

“Sorry about that. I know you wanted to keep that private, though I don’t see why. You’re a truly talented musician in every sense of the word, yet those witless boors you go to school with think you sleep, breathe, eat and drink show tunes only, when your knowledge of music encyclopaedic.” Gabe mutters.

“Just like I never understood the need for parents to lie to their children about there being a large obese man dressed in a red suit lined with white fur who delivers presents to those who are deemed good, only to shatter their trust by telling them it was nothing but a big elaborate lie to get them to behave.” Rachel quips.

“We’re not going into that debate again. It’s not the same.” Kelly warns, feeling a headache forming already.

“What?” Rachel and Gabe ask in unison.

“I was just giving an example of a behaviour I don’t understand when Gabe pointed one he doesn’t.” Rachel adds innocently.

“Knock it off Rach. I know you love baiting Gabe, and he loves bantering with you. I can see the faux-innocent face with the big doe eyes. The only thing missing is a fake halo hovering over your head and background harp music.” Kelly adds.

“Ruin my fun, why don’t you.” Rachel grumbles good naturedly.

“Stop trying to change the subject. I get your plan. Ask him to join us this Friday if you wish, but he meets us there and we’re the ones driving you there. I know we can carpool and all that sh… crap, but I’m not budging on this. This way if things don’t work out, he has a way to go home and not be stranded in Columbus.” Alex says, anticipating Rachel’s rant about trust and the environment.

“Fine. I will admit that you have made some very good points. Thank you for trying.” Rachel says.

“What about Malibu Barbie?” Kelly asks.

“You mean Quinn?” Rachel asks, already cringing at the mental image of Quinn’s reaction should Kelly call her that to her face.

“Yes, her. Will she join us on Friday as well?” Kelly says, clearly not liking the idea.

“I honestly don’t know. I guess it depends on how things progress these next few days. She seemed sincere, and I would like to have more than one friend in school. I’ll do my best to be careful.” Rachel says. They are all thinking about every single failed relationship the diva has had since her freshman year at McKinley, be it platonic or not.

“That’s all we ask. We hate to see you get your hopes up only to get them crushed and you end up hurt again.” Alex says before his hot-headed sister can put her foot in her mouth again.

“I know. I swear I was born too late, or you guys were born too early.” Rachel says.

“Yeah, we know. By the way, Mom says you’re coming to dinner tomorrow night. I’m to pick you up from school and drive you here so don’t drive to school tomorrow. We’re taking you to breakfast and then we’ll drop you off. Don’t forget to bring an overnight bag because we have tons to catch up on.” Alex says in a sing-song voice.

“No you won’t. Rachel and I will be picking you and Gabe up because I’ll be driving over to Rachel’s for a run. Unless of course you guys want to join us.” Kelly says, smile evident in her voice.

“Nope, you and Rachel can run ‘til the cows come home. Just come and get us when you’re ready.” Gabe answers, already cringing at the thought of getting up that early.

“Will do.” Rachel replies ecstatic. “As much as it pains me to cut this short, I still need to take care of today’s assignments and think of something for dinner. I’ll see you all tomorrow.” Rachel adds.

“Take care Little Robin. Call if you need anything.” Gabe says before he disconnects.

“See you tomorrow bright and early for our run.” Kelly says as she disconnects.

“We’ll talk tomorrow. I love you, Little Robin.” Alex says with affection.

“I love you too. Alex.” Rachel says as she disconnects from the call.

Rachel makes her way to the kitchen and makes herself a Portobello mushroom and vegetable wrap. She pulls out a container of split pea soup from the freezer to reheat. She takes her meal to her room where she tackles her homework and required reading. She is startled by Puck’s ringtone filling the air, not used to receiving many phone calls.

“Hello Noah. How was community service?” Rachel greets with a smile, even though Puck can’t see it.

“Done, thank God. I’m on probation for the next six months. I can’t get in any kind of trouble, or I’m back in juvie. It sucks.” Puck complains.

“It could be worse, and you know it. Besides, it’s entirely your fault for pulling that stupid stunt with the ATM. And all because of some stupid dare from your Neanderthal teammates.” Rachel chastises for what feels like the millionth time.

“Yeah, well, don’t give me any more grief over it please. My mom is bad enough with all her Jewish guilt. I can’t take it coming from you as well.” Puck grumbles.

“I’m sorry Noah. I don’t like that you nearly threw your future away because of peer pressure. You’re lucky you’re underage and this was your official first offense on record, because by the time you’re eighteen they’ll expunge your criminal record.” Rachel adds softly, disappointment and concern evident in her voice.

“I know… Why didn’t you tell me you could play the piano that well? We could have done some killer duets with you on the piano and me on the guitar. We could’ve owned Glee.” Puck asks, changing subjects and putting the spotlight on Rachel and away from him. All his life he has done stupid impulsive things. He hates to be reminded of them or the possible outcomes, especially from someone he cares about, so he shifts the attention to someone or something else.

“I know what you’re doing, and I’ll let it go for now, but not before reminding you that you’re not a ‘Lima Loser’. You make the wrong choices for the wrong reasons because you act before you think.” Rachel says, knowing how hard it is to always have negative things thrown in your face. “Piano playing never really came up and by the time it mattered, no one would have listened to me. Besides, it’s not like the rest don’t have enough reasons to hate me. Why would I have given them even more?” Rachel replies.

“That’s ‘cause they’re jealous.” Puck says.

“I know. Still doesn’t mean I have to like how I’m treated. The fact that I can play an instrument doesn’t really help us much. You play guitar, yet it’s hardly something that matters when it comes to the numbers we do for competition.” Rachel replies.

“Perhaps, but your skills in arranging a piece of music in a few minutes are.” Puck counters.

Rachel’s eyes open wide in surprise. Just how long were New Directions watching them? “How do you know that?” Rachel blurts out without thinking.

“We caught half of ‘burning in the skies’. Then we heard you talk to your friends as you guys were working on the arrangements for ‘waiting for the end’. You’d be amazed at how well sound carries in that auditorium.” Puck says. “Why haven’t you used those mad skills to our advantage?” Puck asks, knowing the answer already, not really sure why he even bothers to ask.

“Alex said something about the acoustics as well. Do you really need to ask me that? Do you think the others would have listened to me? Do you think Mr. Schue would actually acknowledge I’m good at something other than diva walk outs? Do you think you would have listened to anything I had to say two months ago?” Rachel asks, sounding a bit harsher than intended.

Puck actually recoils at the words. He doesn’t say anything. What right does he have to get pissed off or to feel bad, when he has been making the girl’s life impossible for nearly two years? “What were you doing before I called?” He asks, changing subjects again.

“I’m sorry Noah. I need to watch what I say. I shouldn’t let my insecurities get the better of me. You have been wonderful to me this past month and you didn’t deserve that. I said I was letting go of the past, but it’s not as easy as it sounds.” Rachel says. “I was just finishing my homework. Have you done yours?” She adds.

Puck is left speechless for a moment. He still needs to get used to how perceptive of others Rachel is. Perhaps the girl is right in saying she has a sixth sense. “No, I haven’t.” He finally replies. “Don’t apologise, Berry. I deserve that and much more. Don’t let me, or the others off the hook so easily because it just makes it easier for us to treat you like shit. Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself against us. We don’t deserve your sympathy.” Puck says feeling bad. “I’m sorry for asking Rachel. That was really stupid of me.” Puck mumbles in the phone. He’s still not used to apologising, but if there is one person in this town who deserves it from him, it’s Rachel. “Anyway, I need to jet. I gotta go check on the brat.” Puck adds.

“Okay. Have a good night Noah.” Rachel says, still trying to get used to the dynamics of their developing relationship. “Go do your homework.” Rachel then says in a tone of voice eerily similar to the one his mom uses when she’s telling his little sister she needs to do something she doesn’t like, making him roll his eyes at her

“And don’t roll your eyes at me Noah.” Rachel adds.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Call me if you need anything, Berry.” Puck mumbles, never admitting he was rolling his eyes, but annoyed she called him on it.

“See you tomorrow Noah.” Rachel says amused and she disconnects the call without giving him a chance to come up with some smart ass remark. When all else fails, go back to what works, banter with him.

Rachel’s dads arrive a few minutes after her talk with Puck. They talk about their respective days. Both men are ecstatic when they find out Rachel finally stood up for herself where Finn was concerned. As expected, they’re cautious of Quinn’s sudden change in attitude, but are willing to give the blonde a chance to prove herself, just like they did with Puck. Both men are proud of Rachel’s forgiving nature, yet, they can’t help but wonder if maybe she is a little too forgiving. Still, a forgiving girl who always sees the best in people first is definitely preferable to a sullen, jaded, and cynical girl. They tell her how proud they are of her and they go their separate ways.

By the time Rachel goes to bed, she feels lighter than she has felt in quite some time. She even gets a quick text from Quinn wishing her a good night. She quickly replies and turns on the timer on her iPod dock for her usual six a.m. wake up call.

*** * ***

The first thing Quinn does when she gets home is to make sure to follow Rachel’s instructions on how to care for her hand. She wonders quickly how Rachel would know how to care for injuries when a horrible realisation hits her. The girl had probably had to learn from all the bullying she has experienced. She quickly takes a couple of Advil caplets and flexes her hand tentatively. She is glad the pain is mostly dulled by the ice and the painkillers will probably give her enough relief to finish her homework. She should be ok doing her homework, which she is glad isn’t the usual pile and it’s mostly just assigned reading. At least her teachers are smart enough to realise that everyone’s mind is on the extra long weekend that’s coming and it would be a monumental waste of time to assign a lot of extra work. It would be a bitch having to write or type with her hand like that. At least it doesn’t seem broken. It’s not as if she can just go to her teachers and tell them she can’t get her assignments completed because she busted her hand punching her ex-boyfriend. She chuckles as she imagines the looks she’d get with that excuse.

Quinn looks at the clock on the microwave and sighs. It’ll be another hour before her mom makes it home. She is thankful she is back, and even more that her mom is trying to fix their relationship. It takes a bit of getting used to the sudden change Judy Fabray has gone through. The woman is no longer an absentee mom wanting to protect her reputation. She no longer drowns her sorrows in a glass full of vodka hidden with a few splashes of orange juice. Judy Fabray has been sober for a year. She now takes an open interest in everything Quinn is involved.

It was excruciatingly painful, but they managed to talk openly about the mistakes they both made that led to Quinn’s pregnancy, and everything that happened since. It wasn’t a blame fest, but an acknowledgement of where things went wrong and what they needed to do to fix them. It was touch and go for a while, because they needed to learn how to behave around each other again and work on Quinn’s trust issues that Judy wouldn’t just change her mind again and toss her out. They needed to re-establish the boundaries that exist between mother and daughter, but in the end, their hard work seems to be paying off in leaps and bounds. They have never been closer.

Quinn wonders what her mom will say and do once the older blonde discovers the injury to her hand. She wonders if she can keep her hand hidden and not look too suspicious as she heads to her bedroom to get out of the Cheerios uniform to start her homework.

Quinn is done with her homework by the time her mom arrives from volunteering at a call centre for troubled teens, something that Quinn still is getting used to.

“Quinnie, I’m home. Dinner will be on the table in five minutes.” Judy calls up from the bottom of the stairs.

“Coming, Mom.” Quinn replies as she makes her way to the kitchen.

They greet each other with a hug, and soon, Quinn is helping Judy get their dinner out of the take out containers.

“Quinn, what happened to your hand?” Judy asks the second she notices slight swelling, and the bruising that is beginning to form on her daughter’s knuckles.

“I, uh, kinda punched Sam in the face earlier.” Quinn admits.

“You did what!?” Judy asks, voice rising slightly, causing Quinn to wince slightly.

Soon enough, Quinn spills everything that has happened. She leaves nothing out, and as the tale continues, her shame grows as a look of disappointment appears on Judy’s face. She finally ends with how in the middle of their song, Sam had violently shoved Rachel and her subsequent reaction, which led to the first step to fix things with Rachel. By the end, Quinn is crying openly.

“Oh Quinnie. I’m so sorry.” Judy says once Quinn is done speaking.

“Huh? Why are you apologising, Mom?” Quinn asks confused. She expected to be grounded, or at the very least a big lecture on bullying and fighting.

“I can’t help to think that had your father and I been better parents and better people all around, you wouldn’t have learned to be a bully from us. I’m very proud that you’re working on making restitutions. Rachel seems like a remarkable girl, forgiving you after everything you have done to her.” Judy says, without pulling any punches. It only makes Quinn’s guilt and shame flare up like hot coals hit with a sudden burst of oxygen.

“She is. My actions weren’t your doing. I made the choice to be a bully. You had nothing to do with it.” Quinn admits quietly, looking at her half empty plate. It would have been so easy to shift responsibility, but deep down inside, she knows it was all her.

“You’re right that it was your choice, and you’re still responsible for your actions, but I’m also right in saying that it was partly our fault. Your father and I have been bullies in one way or another to you, your sister, and so many others. We just learn to hide it better as adults. You learned that behaviour from us, just as I’m sure Rachel learned her forgiving nature from her parents.” Judy replies with a sad smile. How ironic, that the girl with two fathers, a family condemned as immoral, can personify everything that a good Catholic should be, while they, the devout Catholics are nothing more than lying hypocrites.

“Please don’t blame yourself Mom. It isn’t your fault at all.” Quinn says.

“Studies have shown that we learn a lot of our behaviour and personality traits from those around us by the time we’re five. Had we set a better example, you would have had a better foundation to build upon. I’m glad you realised you needed to change for the better while still a teenager, instead of in your forties, like me. I’m also very proud that you are taking full responsibility for your actions, instead of placing the blame on others. Just promise me, no more fighting.” Judy counters.

“What? You’re not grounding me?” Quinn blurts out surprised, expecting her mom to ground her until she’s college bound.

Judy smirks at that. “No, unless you really want me to. Seriously, what do you think we’ll accomplish if I were to ground you for actions you’re already feeling bad for? You already made the move to atone for your mistakes on your own. The whole point of grounding you is to give you a chance to reflect on your behaviour and to realise that all actions have consequences. Seems to me you know that already. Now, if you were to continue to act like that, then we’re talking some serious grounding. I can overlook the fighting this time, because you were defending someone who needed it. I know you, and for you to physically assault someone, it must have been bad. Just don’t make a habit out of it.” Judy says slightly amused at her daughter’s reaction. She leaves out the part where she would have probably done worse than a broken nose, and Judy suddenly feels the familiar feeling of shame that comes with the realisation that she had allowed her husband to turn her into someone she can’t recognise. Still, she knows her role in it too. She could have stood up for herself and her daughter a lot sooner. It shouldn’t have had to take her youngest becoming homeless.

Mother and daughter talk a bit more, making plans for Thanksgiving. They are both excited at the prospect that it will just the two of them and there won’t be stuffy relatives to impress, but they are also saddened at the fact that Fran, Quinn’s older sister and her family won’t be joining them. They make sure to plan a small meal so they won’t have so many leftovers to turn them off turkey for the coming months. Eventually, they both part company, since both have early mornings, one with work, the other with early Cheerios practice and school.

Quinn lies on her bed, staring at the bruises on her right hand, thinking about everything Rachel has said. Sue would never let them be anything less than perfect. Anyone who has ever held the title of Head Cheerio did so because it is deserved. Vocal Adrenaline is as close to perfection as well, their many consecutive National titles the perfect proof. She also knows that no one in Glee, other than Rachel could match them when it comes to talent and skill. Most, if not all of them are just as selfish and self-absorbed, if not more so than Rachel. When she takes into consideration their other extracurricular activities, the ones that can give them that much desired scholarship or college boost, they all want to be the centre of attention. They all want to shine.

They all justify their poor treatment of Rachel by saying the diva deserves it because she hogs all the solos. They pick on Rachel because she lacks a filter and says whatever comes to her mind, or just because they find Rachel and her clothing choice annoying. They pick on Rachel because she is an easy target. The girl never retaliates. They pick on her because it makes them feel better. Thinking back to each and every occasion Rachel has said something hurtful, it has always been on someone’s singing, their lack of technique or lack of training, or how poor their performance was, but it was always spot on. Whoever was on the receiving end of one of Rachel’s rants would invariably have been sharp or off. She would then temper it with an offer to help them by offering her services as their voice coach. Something that they have all declined. Yet, their attacks on Rachel have always been personal and without provocation. Puck’s words haunt her. She realises that no matter what, Rachel is always back with a smile on her face. The discovery leaves a very sour taste in her mouth and the all familiar feeling of shame she hasn’t experienced since the truth about her baby’s paternity came out.

Quinn thinks about Mr. Schuester and his behaviour with them. He goes out of his way to praise the others, to tell them how special they are. The difference once again, is Rachel. He makes Rachel work ten times as hard, if not more, just to get a few lines in songs she could sing in her sleep, while the others struggle with them. Her blood begins to boil when she starts to see a clear picture of how everyone gets special treatment but Rachel. When Rachel makes a mistake, they all, including Schuester, jump down her throat, without giving the girl a chance to explain herself. When she manages to give her side of the story, no one believes her. They all think she has ulterior motives if she is nice. When they make a mistake, Schuester and the others go out the way to make sure everyone knows they are entitled to make mistakes. As long as they learn from them, then it’s no big deal. She also realises that Puck was right when he said Schuester would step in and call on Rachel’s behaviour but the others freely harassed her under his eyes and he did nothing. The perfect example was during their preparation for Sectionals and he had taken the solo from Rachel and Finn with no good reason. When the girl had tried to appeal to his sense of fairness, he flat out ignored her. When she tried to protest that, he chewed her out in front of everyone while the rest snickered and mumbled in agreement with Schuester. Through it all, Rachel has always been there to offer her friendship to whoever needs it, along with her willingness to assist in whatever way she can, only to be rejected time and again. The feeling of guilt slams her so hard; that she is sure would buckle her knees should she be standing.

Quinn is brought out of her thoughts by her phone. Once she recognises the ringtone, she hits the ‘mute’ feature. She is no mood to talk to anyone. She has never felt more disgusted with herself or her so called friends before. She remembers their last meeting of the year before the summer break. She remembers how everyone was in tears singing to Schuester thinking it was all over, singing their swan song. She remembers how they each admitted that Glee was something special. She recalls the announcement that against all odds, Figgins had decided to give them another chance. Rachel had been the happiest. She had launched herself to hug Schuester as if he was the best teacher in the world. The others had then joined her in her exuberance and had turned it into one big group hug. The thought makes her physically ill. When her phone continues to ring, she sets it to silent mode. A few tries later, the phone calls turn into text messages. Again, she ignores them. At this point, the only calls and texts she will answer would be Rachel’s and maybe Puck’s. The rest can jump into a volcano, an active one preferably. She would gladly shove them in, if she got the chance. Eventually, the callers give up and her phone stops vibrating. She quickly grabs it and turns the sounds back on and on impulse sends a text wishing Rachel good night. She smiles when the diva replies with her own wish for a restful slumber. She gets up and brushes her teeth and then the timer on her iPod dock to wake her up at six a.m. She has a six-thirty a.m. Cheerios practice.

*** * ***

Rachel goes out like a light and wakes up a few minutes before her iPod comes to life. Her internal clock very tuned to her daily routine. She is ready and out the door by six fifteen to meet a smiling Kelly.

Their run is filled with their usual banter, and for someone like Rachel, who is a creature of habit, it’s a comforting thing, especially when taking into consideration the upheaval her life has taken recently. It’s a welcomed respite from reality, one Rachel needs like the oxygen she’s gulping in, and one Kelly is more than happy to provide. Kelly thinks back to what Rachel had said the night before, and she agrees with Rachel wholeheartedly. **_Their_** Little Robin was either born too late, or they were born too early. If life were fair, they would have graduated high school together, and they would have had to chance of choosing what colleges to apply to and eventually accept together.

*** * ***

Quinn’s sleep is anything but restful, she is bombarded by a replay of the last two years in very realistic dreams, only the roles are reversed. Rachel is the one doing all the taunting and tormenting. She is the one that gets the slushies. She is the one who is shoved into lockers by lesser Cheerios, all in the quest to gain favour with Dream Rachel. She is the one the jocks mock and poke fun at, again, in the hopes of impressing Dream Rachel and hopefully pass unscathed under her radar. Her dream self offers Dream Rachel her friendship, only to have the offer rebuffed by Dream Rachel telling her she would rather have a root canal without the benefit of anaesthetics, than be friends with Dream Quinn. She breathes a sigh of relief when her iPod goes off and she is finally pulled from the dreams, the last thing she remembers is the all too real feeling of humiliation and hurt that comes with rejection. She has never been happier to wake up early. Her subconscious wouldn’t even allow her to wake up.

Quinn marvels at Rachel’s forgiving nature and overall upbeat attitude. From her little foray into the bottom of the hierarchy ranks, she knows for a fact she doesn’t forgive and forget. She has made life a living hell for the jocks that dared slushy her. The Cheerios who dared made her life hell are now paying as well, always having to run extra laps and suicides until they would throw up, only to have to do it all over again, no matter how tiny the infraction. She could have found countless reasons to have them kicked of the team, but then, she wouldn’t have the satisfaction of torturing them the way she has been since her re-instatement as captain.

Quinn manages to drag herself out of bed to get ready. She gets in her McKinley spandex tights, sports bra and long sleeve top. Today it’s one of their two cross training days, so no uniform until after practice. Her hair is in its flawless, mandatory high pony tail. She makes her way to the kitchen and in no time she prepares her recovery shake, along with some low fat granola, fresh fruit and a fat-free yogurt. Everything goes into an insulated lunch bag and into her Cheerios duffle bag. She arrives on the field with five minutes to spare. She smiles with satisfaction when she sees the rest already waiting for her and for Coach to arrive. They all snap to attention once they see her.

“All right everyone half hour run, then we stretch.” Quinn says quietly the second she is in hearing range. She refuses to raise her voice. Unlike Coach and her love for the bullhorn, Quinn revels in the power she has when the others have to keep quiet and strain just to hear her speak, in fear of missing a word and then having to pay the consequences.

One look at the determined gaze on Quinn’s face and her body language tells the rest of the squad that pissing Quinn off will result in more than just extra laps and suicides. Even Santana holds back on her usual snark and attitude. They do everything they are told with no complaint so even Sue Sylvester has a hard time finding something wrong with their overall performance. Quinn is given the ok to dismiss them fifteen minutes early **_if_** she wants. She has them run extra suicides to keep their reflexes sharp and extra laps around the track ‘to cool down properly’. When she finally dismisses them (twenty minutes late), they can all see the gleam of pride in Sue’s eyes at Quinn’s leadership and physical condition because their captain has done every single thing they have while giving them instructions and she still looks as fresh as a daisy. They bite their tongues.

While she showers, Quinn contemplates how practice went. She truly seeks perfection from every single member of the squad, even when they’re cross training and not doing any of their routines. Anything else is unacceptable. She doesn’t take disrespect within the ranks lightly. Once again, Rachel’s words are in a loop in her brain. She sighs at her own double standards, not just the ones the rest of Glee have.

When she is dressed in her uniform, she grabs her things and leaves the locker room after she makes sure the Cheerios who are still paying for their indiscretion last year collect all the dirty towels and have them ready for the cleaning service.

*** * ***

Instead of going somewhere for breakfast, Rachel and Kelly end up eating at the Rileys’. Rachel is nearly bowled over by an over excited Fusilli. They all laugh at the tiny girl pinned to a wall by the affectionate dog.

“Fusilli, down!” Christine, Kelly and Alex’s mom says in a firm voice and the Rottweiler mix is immediately sitting obediently by her side. “You know this wouldn’t happen if you came to visit more. That dog adores you.” She adds with a smile, as the other three laugh at Rachel’s dishevelled appearance that has to do more with her encounter with the dog, and not the forty-five minute run she just finished.

Breakfast is a blur of jokes and a quick update and a promise of a more thorough discussion for dinner.

The drive to McKinley is filled with their usual arguments of what music to hear, with Rachel winning after one well placed pout.

“That pout won’t always work. We’ve been away for too long so our resistance to it is down, but within a day, you won’t get away with it.” Gabe mumbles, knowing that statement is the furthest thing from the truth. The other three in the car laugh at the absurdity of that comment.

“Want us to drop by for lunch?” Kelly asks once they pull over by McKinley’s front entrance.

“No, it’s okay. I’ll just go to the auditorium or something to get some extra practice. You had a pretty long drive back, so take the extra time to get some rest. Besides, you also have friends your age you need see. I’ll see you all after school.” Rachel says as she gets out of the car.

Soon, all three college students follow suit, each giving the little diva a hug and a kiss. They only get back in the car and drive off after Rachel disappears through the double doors.

Rachel puts on her earbuds and turns on her iPod. The biggest torture in her eyes is to endure classes without her music. She is so absorbed in whatever she is listening to, she fails to notice Puck making his way to her. She lets out a squeal of surprise once she feels hands around her hips lifting her and twirling her around the hallway.

“Hey Rachel.” Puck says as he lowers her back on solid ground.

“Good morning Noah. To what do I owe the exuberance of your greeting this morning?” Rachel asks after she pulls the earbuds out and turns off her iPod.

“Just happy to see you. Come on, I’ll walk you to homeroom.” Puck says with a charming smile as he offers Rachel his left arm.

“Lead the way.” Rachel says giggling as she takes his arm.

They walk to Rachel’s homeroom smiling and talking about music, ignoring the looks they still get, even after a month of them hanging out together. ‘They call me a loser and a freak, yet they can’t seem to stop obsessing about my life.’ Rachel thinks as she shakes her head.

“Thank you so much for being such a gentleman, Noah.” Rachel says as they reach the door to her homeroom and placing a kiss on his cheek.

“You’re gonna kill my rep if you keep saying sh…crap like that.” Puck says blushing.

“Only you would think being called a gentleman is a bad thing.” Rachel scoffs playfully.

“I’m a badass through and through.” Puck says wriggling his eyebrows suggestively at her. “Later, Babe.” Puck adds before Rachel can call him a pig or something similar, although knowing Rachel, it would probably be something with a lot of words.

Rachel walks into homeroom and slowly makes her way to her usual desk.

“Good morning Rachel.” Quinn says with a smile, causing Rachel to jump slightly.

“Uh, Good morning Quinn.” Rachel replies returning she smile, albeit a bit reluctant. She had never expected Quinn to openly talk to her in such a friendly manner in front of others. She figured it would be a while before the Head Cheerio would feel comfortable with being seen with the school’s loser.

Quinn’s smile falters a bit once she sees the shock in Rachel’s face. She knows she should have expected something like that. After all, it was only as recently as Sectionals over the weekend when Quinn was being anything but nice to the diva. It stings to see Rachel so at ease with Puck, but so guarded around her when they both have treated the diva equally bad.

The rest of the students there stare back and forth between Quinn and Rachel during their exchange, but it was so fast, that they are now convinced they were hallucinating.

When all announcements are done, their teacher dismisses them a few minutes early. Rachel walks out of homeroom as fast as she can without walking into someone. Quinn is a bit disappointed that the diva just bolted from homeroom.

The rest of the morning is spent in similar fashion. Quinn is always the one who greets Rachel warmly. Rachel would in turn smile shyly but never saying a word, or be the one to initiate anything. Rachel would then walk away as fast as her legs could carry her, without actually breaking into a run. ‘At least she’s smiling back, even if she’s not talking to me.’ Quinn thinks as she goes to her locker to dump her books and grab her lunch. She is brought out of her musings when she catches Rachel walk away, tears threatening to fall. Quinn turns to face the direction Rachel came from, and shakes her head in disbelief. Finn is openly flirting with Santana, while the Latina fawns over him. It makes her blood boil, so on impulse she stalks over to them.

“You’re such a hypocrite, Finn. No wonder Rachel dumped your sorry ass.” Quinn says loud enough for those around them to hear clearly. All conversation stops, and the hallway is filled with complete silence. Every single student turns to stare at Finn. The giant man-child might not have spread rumours, but sadly, everyone had thought he had dumped the diva. She walks away with a satisfied smile in search of Rachel.

Quinn makes a beeline for the auditorium, remembering that’s where Rachel went after her break-up and confrontation with Finn. Before she makes it all the way, she once again hears music filtering out to the hallway. Unlike yesterday, it’s only a faint melody with no accompanying lyrics. She opens the door as gently as possible, not wanting to startle Rachel, and in the hope that the little diva will sing something.

Quinn is about to let her presence be known when Rachel starts another tune and soon, her voice fills the auditorium.

_Long ago_

_In someone else’s lifetime_

_Someone with my name_

_Who looked a lot like me_

_Came to know_

_A man and made a promise_

_He only had to say_

_And that’s where she would be_

_Lately_

_Although the feelings run just as deep_

_The promise she made has grown impossible to keep_

_And yet I wish it wasn’t so_

_Will he miss me if I go?_

 

Quinn can see the faint track of tears and she feels her heart squeeze in sympathy.

_In a way_

_It’s someone else’s story_

_I don’t see myself_

_As taking part at all_

_Yesterday_

_The girl that I was fond of_

_Finally could see_

_The writing on the wall_

_Sadly_

_She realized she’d left him behind_

_And sadder than that she knew he wouldn’t even mind_

_And though there’s nothing left to say_

_Would he listen if I stay?_

 

As the song continues, Quinn nearly groans because it sounds as if Rachel is second guessing her decision and regretting dumping the man-child. She feels inexplicably angry at the prospect of Rachel and Finn getting back together. The girl deserves so much more.

_It’s all very well to say you fool it’s now or never_

_I could be choosing_

_No choices whatsoever._

_I could be_

_In someone else’s story_

_In someone else’s life_

_And he could be in mine_

_I don’t see_

_A reason to be lonely_

_I could take my chances_

_Further down the line_

_And if_

_That girl I knew should ask my advice_

_Oh I wouldn’t hesitate she needn’t ask me twice_

_Go now!_

_I’d tell her that for free_

_Trouble is, the girl is me_

_The story is, the girl is me._

 

Quinn refrains from jumping to conclusions. Instead, the moment the last note of the song fades away, the blonde makes her way to Rachel.

If Rachel is surprised to see her, the diva doesn’t show it. Quinn is greeted with a small wave and a sad smile. Quinn smiles happily once she realises it’s the first greeting initiated by the diva.

“He’s not worth it, you know, your tears and sadness. Everything you said was true. You’re not regretting your decision, are you?” Quinn says as she joins Rachel on the piano bench.

“I know he’s not, and no, I’m not getting back with him anytime soon. I meant everything I said yesterday. It just hurts to see him move on so fast. It’s like I never existed. As much as I’d love to just kick him permanently off my heart, I still care for him. I know he’s not good for me. I know we’re toxic for each other. I need my heart and my head on the same page, but that takes time. Singing usually helps.” Rachel answers, not even pretending to be shocked that Quinn and the others overheard her entire conversation yesterday.

Quinn smiles at that. She is actually relieved. “Good, because you definitely deserve more than that simpleton.” Quinn says.

“You do realise that you dated him as well, correct? Or did you fall off while dismounting from the pyramid and hit your head, causing a slight case of amnesia?” Rachel says, a small smile gracing her face to let Quinn know she’s joking.

“Haha. Very funny. I have the right to call him whatever I wish because I had the misfortune of falling in the trap of dating him, dating the image and the security he was supposed to provide.” Quinn confesses.

“I guess we both liked the image that went with dating the school’s quarterback, but only I was stupid enough to fall for him.” Rachel says with a shrug.

“No, you’re not stupid. We have no control over whom we love. Cliché, but true. On the upside, you’re smart enough to get out of a destructive relationship before it’s too late. That takes courage.” Quinn says.

“Thanks Quinn.” Rachel says with a genuine smile.

“Why were you avoiding me earlier?” Quinn blurts out.

“I wasn’t.” Rachel replies.

“It sure could have fooled me.” Quinn says, her hurt feelings evident in her tone of voice, no matter how much she tries to hide it.

“I didn’t want to make things hard for you by being seen with me. You just got your popularity back and I’m not sure if it will endure being seen with me in public.” Rachel says with a self-deprecating smile.

Quinn never expected that answer. She had thought Rachel was still wary (with good reason) around her. “What makes you think something will happen?” Quinn asks.

“After you greeted me in homeroom, I saw the looks and heard the whispers once they were sure you weren’t paying attention. They all wondered if you a)Lost a bet. b)Hit your head and were suffering from a concussion. Or c)Are setting me up for something epic. I may be naïve, but I believe your intentions are good. We might not be friends yet, but I would never wish how I’m treated on anyone.” Rachel answers, looking straight into hazel eyes.

If anything, those words make Quinn feel even worse. She is only aware she’s crying when she feels Rachel’s thumbs softly wiping away her tears.

“Don’t worry about that. I offered you my friendship with no strings attached. That means I won’t hide behind the walls of the choir room. I’ll talk to you if and when I wish. I once told Sam what was the use of popularity if it meant not being able to do what one wanted. You let me worry about the sheep.” Quinn says.

Rachel nods, fighting her own tears. It had taken Puck longer to get over the initial whispers from the rest of McKinley when they started to work on their friendship.

They spend the rest of their lunch period learning about each other. They reluctantly get up when it’s time to go. The rest of McKinley collectively looks around for the Four Horsemen when they see Quinn and Rachel walking out of the auditorium laughing and smiling.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

Quinn sits in a quiet corner of the library trying to get some of her homework done during a free period. She has a hard time focusing. Her mind keeps drifting back to everything that has happened since she started high school. She wonders what would have happened had she not fallen trap to the image that was expected of her and gotten herself addicted to the power that comes with being Head Cheerio. She is so lost in her thoughts that she doesn’t realise someone has invaded her little nook, until she feels a hand on her shoulders.

“Quinn!” Sam calls out, finally putting a hand on her shoulders in the hopes of getting the girl’s attention.

Quinn shoves the hand off of her and is on her feet within seconds, a little tube of mace in her hands.

“Whoa Quinn. It’s just me.” Sam calls out jumping out of the way.

“Jesus Christ Sam! Stalkerish much? You’re lucky I didn’t mace you.” Quinn hisses out.

“Can we talk?” Sam asks. He decides to keep the fact that he’s been trying to get her attention for the last few minutes to himself, lest she really mace him.

“Make it quick. I have a lot of work that needs to be done.” Quinn says sitting down again.

Sam takes that as a sign that he too should sit down. “I, uh wanted to apologise for my behaviour yesterday. I was angry that you dumped me for no reason, other than agreeing with what Berry said. Then I saw your sudden need to be nice to Berry and blamed her. I kinda overreacted in the auditorium. I was so mad because you were ignoring me, but going out of your way to be nice to her and not just, you know, be polite while ignoring her.” Sam says.

“Kind of overreacted? You shoved Rachel without any provocation. She stayed out of everyone’s way, and only interacted with Puck, Brittany and me. It’s not me you should be apologising to.” Quinn says as calmly as she can while she fists and unfists her right hand. She is surprised at the urge to hit him again. She has never experience such violent urges before.

“I know. I will when I see her again. Sam says. “Why did you dump me?” He asks.

“I owe you nothing after the way you behaved. I expect such things from Neanderthals like Karofsky.” Quinn says as she starts to pack her things.

“Please Quinn. What did I do wrong? I thought we were happy. I mean, we were McKinley’s new power couple. What changed?” Sam asks. “I love you. That’s why I gave you that promise ring.” He adds.

“No you don’t. You only think you do. You don’t know me at all. You’re not the man I thought you were. You went from the goofy, charming geek I first met, into this popularity obsessed guy. The fact that we became McKinley’s new power couple shouldn’t matter one bit, but it’s one of the first things you mentioned about what’s good about us. I knew I wasn’t ready for a new relationship, but I gave in, gave you a chance, for mostly the wrong reasons. I knew being seen together with you was going to be good for my rep, that you’re nice was an added bonus. A relationship should never be about such things. It should be about the two people involved, and their like of each other. Not about what being together will do for them in terms of popularity. I started this school year saying it’s about me, and for once, I’m going to do things that will make me happy. I can’t believe that of all the people in Glee, it was Puck who opened my eyes. I need to rediscover who I am, and I can’t do that while dating anyone. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us.” Quinn says before she gets up and leaves.

*** * ***

The rest of the day is a blur of gossip and speculation. Whenever Rachel and Quinn cross paths in the hallways, they always exchange a friendly greeting or a smile. The other Gleeks wonder what the hell is going on. Any attempts to talk to Rachel result in the same polite non-committal answers. They abandon the idea of asking Quinn after her first glare. Puck just tells them to fuck off.

The last class of the day is Spanish for all the Gleeks. They, including Schuester, do a double take when they see Rachel sitting in her usual seat up front flanked by Quinn and Puck. It takes a bit, but Schuester finally notices Sam’s broken nose, and only because said boy reluctantly approached Rachel to apologise.

“Sam, what happened?” Schuester asks.

“I was watching my little brother and sister last night. One of them accidentally elbowed me in the nose when we were roughhousing.” Sam mumbles. His reputation would be done for if the rest found out that a girl did that. Not to mention the stigma of being labelled a snitch.

Once the class ends, they are informed that this week, their second Glee practice will be moved to Wednesday. Schuester wants to start work early for Regionals instead of waiting for the last possible second. Rachel wonders if Fusilli suddenly developed the use of speech. By the end of the day, Quinn has made it clear that any picking on Rachel will have repercussions. It doesn’t take a genius for anyone to know things won’t be pretty if the Head Cheerio is ignored.

Quinn and Puck are disappointed that Rachel has plans with her friends after school. Unlike Finn, who usually throws a tantrum, they let Rachel know they would have liked to hang out with her, but they’re happy she gets to spend time with her friends. They both insist on waiting with Rachel for her friends to pick her up.

Once Rachel is gone, Puck takes the opportunity to talk to Quinn. It starts as a way to make sure Quinn isn’t setting Rachel up for anything humiliating. Quinn’s first reaction is to slap him, but she knows her past actions would lead to such speculation from everyone. She takes a few breaths to calm herself before she speaks. It takes a bit of convincing, but Puck actually believes Quinn has no ulterior motives and that the blonde is really trying to make amends. It’s about time, he thinks and says as much to Quinn. She nods in agreement. It ends up with them finally talking about the baby that was given up for adoption. He accepts that no matter what he wanted, having Shelby adopt her was the only option. He accepts that keeping the baby would have resulted in an innocent life paying for their mistakes. Knowing that giving their daughter a loving and stable life is their ultimate act of love doesn’t lessen the pain.

*** * ***

Rachel goes in details how surreal her day has been, especially where Quinn is concerned. She tells the others how the blonde had gone out of her way to spend time with her during lunch, and how the blonde had no problems acknowledging her publicly. They make tentative plans for Friday. Kelly asks if Quinn will be joining them, only to get the same answer from Rachel. “I don’t know.” They make plans for the rest of the weekend, after Rachel gets a promise from them that she’s not interfering with their other friendships. She knows all too well how polarizing her personality can be. The last thing Rachel wants is to cause more friction for Alex, Gabe and Kelly and their friends. When Rachel mentions that, she is told they’re adults and they will deal. Which of course makes Rachel smile broadly.

*** * ***

The following day Rachel walks in completely lost in her own world. She doesn’t notice Karofsky approaching her with a slushie until it is too late and the stinging of the frozen corn syrup brings her crashing down to Earth. She sighs and wipes her eyes as best she can before silently heading to the closest restroom. She thinks that should slushie clean up become an Olympic sport, she would undoubtedly take the gold. She is done in record time. She surveys the damage done to her outfit with a resigned sigh. At least her earbuds are water resistant and her iPod is also protected with a water resistant case. She puts the soiled items in the waterproof bag that held her clean clothing before.

Once she is satisfied with her appearance, Rachel steps out of the restroom and freezes momentarily at what she sees. Puck has Karofsky pinned face first to a bank of lockers closest to the restroom Rachel had just vacated, while Quinn stands to the side of him. The way Puck has his arm pulled and twisted to his back in what could only be described as an odd and unnatural angle explains why Karofsky has a look of complete agony. Rachel manages to shake herself out of her surprised stupor and walks towards them. Puck looks like he is ready to kill Karofsky, while Quinn looks bored, her gaze going back and forth between Puck, Karofsky and the clock on the far end of the hallway. Once she reaches them, Rachel gingerly clears her throat, catching their attention, but before Rachel can say a thing, Quinn’s face breaks into a warm smile.

“Rach, good. You’re here now. This douche bag has something to say to you.” Quinn says. When nothing comes out of Karofsky’s mouth, Puck leans closer to the to the boy, exerting just a little bit more pressure on the arm, causing another very audible whimper of pain to escape him. “Don’t you Karofsky?” Quinn hisses, all traces of her previous smile gone, in its place is the cold and bored expression of the Head Bitch In Charge.

“Fuck you Fabray.” Karofsky manages to wheeze out before he is pulled back by his hair and slammed to the lockers head first.

“Care to repeat what you just said? Next time I won’t be so kind and you’ll be slamming against the locker nose first.” Puck growls.

“I’m sorry for being such an inconsiderate and immature idiot. I’m sorry I need to be a complete jerk face and douche bag. It won’t happen again. From now on I’ll treat you with the respect you deserve because I’m not worthy to breathe the same air you do.” Karofsky wheezes out to a wide eyed looking Rachel and the laughter of the students surrounding them.

“That good enough Quinn?” Puck asks once Karofsky is done speaking.

“Yeah, for now.” Quinn replies casually.

Rachel is rendered speechless for the first time in what feels like years. She absently wonders if Karofsky understood the words he just uttered. She has to force herself to close her open mouth as she blinks a few times, trying to get her brain to work. When she finally gets her wits back, she wonders why there aren’t any teachers present. As fast as it was, it still took her nearly fifteen minutes to get cleaned up.

“Good. Remember, if you come near Rachel again with anything other than good intentions I’ll forget to be nice and you’ll be sorry.” Puck says loud enough for everyone to hear, as he pulls him forcefully from the lockers, turning him into the hallway and shoving him hard enough to make him stumble over his feet and fall on his knees.

“That goes to the rest of you losers. Now get lost before I lose my temper.” Quinn says with a hard glint in her eyes, causing everyone to scramble off, not wanting to be in the receiving end of **_that_**.

Quinn immediately calms down once her eyes fall on a still gobsmacked Rachel. She thinks the diva looks adorable like that.

Puck shakes his hands and flexes them open and close a few times before he turns to Rachel. He lifts a hand and pushes a strand of hair behind her ear in the process of cupping her face.

“Hey Diva. You ok?” Puck asks softly. He lets his hand linger a bit longer before he drops it back by his side.

It still amazes Rachel how gentle Puck can be. “Yes. Thank you for asking. I should remember to keep my guard up. At least that way I don’t get that stuff in my eyes.” Rachel says softly. She is not sure what to feel. She hates violence, but at the same time, her heart feels all fuzzy and warm. For the first time since she set foot at McKinley someone, no, make that two someones openly defended her.

“You shouldn’t have to. I’m sorry I wasn’t here early enough to prevent that.” Quinn says just as soft. The way Rachel speaks and the way the diva is resigned to such treatment causes a mixture of self loathing, shame, guilt, and anger to wash over the blonde. “I’m sorry I was ever a part of that.” She adds.

The combination of Rachel and Quinn’s words also causes a similar reaction to settle in the pit of Puck’s stomach. Memories of slushying Rachel flood his mind. He looks down, unable to meet Rachel’s eyes. He is glad the hallway is now deserted.

“Rachel, I…” Puck starts to say, only to be cut off by Rachel.

“Please don’t. I’ve forgiven you. You’ve been here for me when I needed a friend. You remember what I say and you respect my choices, even if you don’t necessarily understand them. I know you mean well, but please refrain from physical confrontations. You’re still on probation and all it’d take is for one person to report you. I’m not worth a return to juvenile detention.” Rachel says as she places a hand on his chest.

Quinn can’t help but she feels as if she is intruding on a private moment. She is about to mumble a quick goodbye when Rachel turns to Quinn. The brunette reaches over to grab the blonde’s hand, but at the last minute, she hesitates. Instead, she brings her hand to her hair.

“Quinn, I appreciate the sentiment. I won’t even ask how you managed to get Karofsky to memorise his apology during the time it took me get changed. I didn’t know he had the mental capacity.” Rachel says with a small smile, causing Quinn to giggle. “You have no idea how much it means to me, but what happened with Karofsky isn’t your fault. I don’t blame you for other people’s actions.” Rachel adds, looking straight into hazel eyes.

“I might not have told him to do it, but I sure as hell could have done something about it sooner. You were right you know. People like him only understand violence. Trying to reason with Karofsky was like trying to reason with a tapeworm. I’m sorry I was so difficult when you were asking for my help in order to help Kurt.” Quinn replies. “Come on, let’s head to first period. We missed homeroom already.” She adds just as the bell rings. She knows there is a lot more they need to discuss, but the hallway isn’t the proper place.

“I’ll walk with you to make sure others don’t get any funny ideas.” Puck says softly.

By the time they reach Quinn and Rachel’s Honours Art History class, the entire student body knows what transpired between Karofsky and the three Glee clubbers. Quinn’s sudden interest in Rachel confuses everyone. They wonder what in the world happened for such a change of heart. Most of them wonder what Quinn’s angle is. Some actually feel sorry for what might happen to Rachel. They can understand Puck being nice. He is probably just doing it to get into Rachel’s pants. The girl might be annoying and at the bottom of the social ladder, but she sure is hot.

Finn ignores Rachel for the most part. He makes no attempts to start any conversations with the diva, but he makes it a point to openly flirt with Santana or any other girl whenever he is sure Rachel is watching. He’s convinced it’s only a matter of time before she comes begging for his forgiveness. To her credit, Rachel just closes her eyes and tries her best to go on with her day. She knows she deserves better than him, but it still hurts to see him willingly pour salt in her wounded heart. Puck hugs her and Quinn offers Rachel a few kind words and smiles.

By lunch time, when he fails to get more of a reaction from Rachel, Finn stomps his way over and blocks her path. The diva automatically puts a restraining hand on Puck’s forearm. Quinn stands up impossibly straighter.

“What do you want Finn?” Rachel asks with a tired sigh.

Finn looks at Rachel’s face. He has never seen that expression on the diva before. Then he lets his gaze scan to her right to Puck and her left to Quinn, both of them looking as if they want nothing more than to use him as a tackling dummy. He can’t help the burn of jealousy at seeing Rachel’s hand on Puck’s arms. His gaze then moves beyond them, to the hallway full of students. They remind him of his objective. He tries to hide a smile, thinking that after he is done, his reputation should improve a little. He returns his eyes to Rachel; his expression makes Rachel cringe internally because she knows he is going to say something that will set the other two off.

“You’re the hippo, not me.” Finn starts, only to falter slightly at the utterly confused looks that adorn his teammates. His confidence increases when he hears the chuckles from the other students and the hurt look on Rachel’s face. He presses on, feeling smug. “All I did was tell one little lie. You were the one who made a big deal out of it. You were the one who cheated on me with Puck. You couldn’t break up with me fast enough to hook up with him.” Finn finishes, eyes scanning the sea of students listening intently to the conversation. They’ll see that he’s the victim. That once again, he was cheated on.

Rachel shakes her head a few times, and goes as far as to pinch herself. She looks back and forth between Puck and Quinn, only to see that they share her same confusion. The only difference being the simmering anger she can feel just beneath the surface. She turns back to Finn. “Fine, if you want to have this talk here, where the entire school can hear, then so be it. It’s not like there is ever a semblance of privacy in this place. I don’t understand why you’re bringing up something we have already discussed on Monday. It’s settled. You’re a free agent, so I don’t see why you have this urge to harass me. You can go and have meaningless sex with whomever you choose. You can guard and nurse your popularity without any fears of someone like me dragging you down. If anything, I would have thought you would be ecstatic we ended our romantic entanglement. What is even more baffling is your need to jump on the bandwagon and insult me by calling me a hippopotamus.” Rachel says still confused.

“I didn’t call you a hypothalamus. I called you a hippo. The same thing you called me on Monday and Quinn called me yesterday. I asked Santana what it meant, and that’s what you are. You say one thing but do something different.” Finn says a bit louder.

Before Rachel can ask for clarification, Quinn bursts out in uncontrollable laughter. Tears of mirth stream down her face as she holds on to Rachel for support with one hand, while her other hand is clutching her abdomen. Everyone one within hearing range just stares confused beyond words at the Head Cheerio’s reaction.

“Oh my God. I really needed a good laugh after these past few days.” Quinn says once she manages to calm down and catch her breath. She looks at Rachel’s confused face and sobers up, turning once again to Finn. “You really are a moron. I sure hope your stupidity is a direct result of too many tackles without wearing a helmet, otherwise, I feel sorry for any future children you may have. Rachel and I called you a hypocrite. How in God’s green Earth you managed to mix up those words is mystifying. Let me remind you that you cheated on me when we were together. You don’t get to pull the martyr card here. The only reason you’re making a big stink out of this is because it was Rachel who dumped you and not the other way around. I know you’re pissed everyone found out from me that the big quarterback was dumped by the Glee club captain, but to take it out on Rachel is beyond low. You really are a simpleton.” Quinn says while shaking her head and looking bored.

“Stop trying to make me look stupid!” Finn yells, causing Puck to take a step forward.

“Oh, I wish I could take at least partial credit for that. Sadly, it’s all you. All you have to do is open your mouth and you sound stupid. If you were to use all of your brain capacity, on a generous day, you’d be lucky to be called a half-witted moron.” Quinn says. She then turns to Rachel, and her expression softens immediately. “Come on Rach. I feel my IQ dropping fifty points just breathing the same air.” She adds.

Puck and Rachel follow Quinn, not quite believing the exchange that just happened. They leave Finn behind trying to make sense of everything that Quinn said. The rest of the students quickly jump out of the way, not wishing to be on the receiving end of Puck’s fists, or worse yet, Quinn’s sharp tongue.

*** * ***

Rachel spends her free period, which also happens to be the last one of the day, in the auditorium going through a series of warm ups. Quinn joins her five minutes after the last bell of the day goes off. She looks up from the piano and smiles warmly at the blonde. It’s nice to have another friend, but part of her can’t help but wonder when the other shoe will fall. She tries to push those thoughts aside, but it’s hard after two school years of torment.

Quinn surprises Rachel by asking the brunette to show her the warm up techniques. They spend the next half hour or so going through a series of scales while Rachel explains the purpose of each exercise. Quinn is again surprised at how easy going Rachel is when the girl is allowed to share her knowledge and speak openly. It then strikes her that this is the Rachel she saw Monday afternoon talking song arrangements with friends. The realisation makes Quinn grin like a fool.

“Care to share what has made you so happy?” Rachel asks when she sees Quinn’s blinding smile. She can’t help but think how much more beautiful the blonde is when she is genuinely smiling.

“Huh? Nothing, I just realised what an idiot I can be at times.” Quinn says absently.

“So, if I want to see you smile more, all I need to do is call you an idiot from time to time?” Rachel asks innocently, biting her bottom lip, trying not to laugh.

“Very funny. No, I just realised that you’ve been a lot more relaxed around me, and all it took was for me to have an open mind.” Quinn says still smiling and slightly surprised that Rachel of all people just cracked a joke at her expense. “I like this side of you.” She adds.

Rachel blushes at the compliment. “Thanks Quinn. I like this side of you as well. It makes putting my guard down a lot easier.” Rachel starts to say, only to be interrupted by an alarm going off. “Come on Quinn. We need to head to the music room.” She adds as she starts to gather her things. Quinn follows suit, and soon, both girls are chatting amicably on the way to meet the others.

The rest are surprised to find out that Rachel is running late. Even Schuester is looking confused. He is about to ask something when Rachel and Quinn walk in chatting and giggling. The sight is still very foreign to everyone.

“Sorry we’re late. We lost track of time warming up.” Quinn says.

They do a double take at the words. Rachel warming up before practice? Sure. Quinn willingly joining in said warm ups? They’re sure they’ll be hearing galloping horses at any moment.

Rachel and Quinn both take their seats and wait for their faculty adviser to start.

“Rachel, why didn’t you share all of your musical and arranging skills with us?” Schuester asks once he recovers. “We could have used them when we were getting ready for Sectionals.” He adds in a slightly disappointed voice. It seems a couple of days is all it takes for him to forget what happened on Monday.

“Mr. Schue is right. Maybe then, it would have been a clear victory instead of a tie.” Santana adds.

Puck and Quinn visibly tense, while Brittany sends the Latina a look of disappointment.

“That’s because she only cares about herself. She probably did it as revenge after Mr. Schue saw she’s not as good as she thinks and pulled the solos from her.” Mercedes says jumping in, not giving Rachel a chance to say anything in her defence.

Quinn and Puck bristle at the words. They take a look at Rachel sitting quietly; tears glistening in her eyes, ready to fall at any moment. They both feel their blood boil.

“Shut the hell up and let the girl speak. Mr. Schue asked her, not you guys. And you have the balls to say the girl never shuts up, when you guys never give her a chance to say anything.” Puck says suddenly. He wants to say more, but he knows that Rachel needs to say her peace. He looks at Quinn and shakes his head at her when he sees she is ready to jump in with her own observations. Quinn nods and swallows her words for now.

Rachel slowly looks at every single face in the room with her. Puck and Quinn are angry on her behalf. That’s easy enough to see. Puck’s hands are clenched into tight fists and she can see his arms shaking from time to time. He looks ready to thrown down with Mr. Schuester at any moment. Quinn appears to be struggling to keep her mouth shut, and if it were at all possible to kill people with sheer will power and a well placed glare, quite a few people in that room would be dead. Tina, Mike, Sam and Artie look around uncomfortably, unsure whose side to take. Brittany looks sad and confused. Santana, Mercedes, and Lauren look as if they each swallowed a dozen lemons each after eating a pound of salt beforehand. Finn is scowling, shooting daggers her way. Mr. Schuester looks constipated in his effort to look understanding. Finally, she makes up her mind. Enough is enough. She takes a deep breath and stands up.

“When was I supposed to have done so?” Rachel asks as she approaches Schuester. “When you decided to take away my solo to revamp our entire set list because you wanted to make sure everyone got to feel special? Would you have listened then? How about when you told me I had a terrible attitude and I was being a lousy sport because I felt the need to protest what I felt was unfair treatment? And when I tried to explain I was upset, your only reply to me was that I have a choice to be happy? Because it’s so easy to be happy when every single day of my life is filled with nonstop bullying. How selfish of me to be affected by that. How dare I feel upset when my life is such a bed of roses? How dare I be such a poor sport when I’m not allowed to express my feelings because I get accused of being a drama queen throwing a tantrum? How dare I be so selfish to keep my talent to myself because I’m being called conceited, self-centred, self-serving and self-absorbed when I point out a solo should go to me? How stupid of me not to realise that when I raise my hand to give a suggestion it goes ignored over and over it means I have to tell you I can help with the song arrangements?” Rachel asks, voice dripping with venom and sarcasm, but she continues on without giving Schuester the chance to reply.

“When was the last time you said anything remotely as harsh to my oh so generous and wonderful teammates when they have called me ‘hobbit’, ‘man hands’, ‘Yentl’, ‘midget’, ‘treasure trail’, ‘freak’, ‘RuPaul’, ‘tranny’, ‘dwarf’, and who knows what else, right under your very nose? Would you have listened then?” Rachel says, her voice not cracking and the tears held at bay only through sheer will power. She then turns to face Santana. “Was I supposed to suggest better arrangements when I’m being told everyone just pretends to like me?” Rachel says not taking her eyes from Santana until the Latina lowers her gaze in shame. “Or when I’m told I have no right to be angry when I’m lied to for months and I’m overreacting once I find out the truth.” Rachel continues, glaring at Finn, then at every single member of New Directions. “How stupid of me to not see such a perfect opening to share my talent. Oh! Right, because the few times I have managed to say I have some ideas I’m being told I’m being controlling. How silly of me. How dare I be so selfish? God alone knows why I would pass up such wonderful opportunities to share my ideas with the rest of you.” Rachel finishes before she turns on her heels, grabs her messenger bag and storms out.

Every one stares open mouthed at the spot the diva was occupying just seconds before. Some are looking as if they were slapped in the face, guilt, and shame causing their shoulders to slump. Others are just rolling their eyes, thinking that once again the diva is overreacting and being selfish.

Quinn shakes her head in disbelief as she glares at the others. “How dare you call Rachel selfish when you are so much worse than her? I’m ashamed to call you my teammates.” Quinn says in her coldest voice, daring anyone to challenge the accuracy of her statement. Not a single person opens their mouth to speak. They’re not **_that_** stupid.

“I’m leaving because if I stay, I’m going to kill someone.” Quinn says to the others. “Or I’ll end up saying something that will get me suspended.” Quinn adds the last bit while she glares at Schuester. She then grabs her bag and walks to the door. She stops and turns around to stare at Schuester again. Everyone can clearly see Quinn struggling for control. “You really are a piece of work.” Quinn says finally before she walks out in search of Rachel.

“Like she has the right to say anything to us, when she has made Rachel’s life hell since freshman year. The diva will come back. She needs us more than we need her.” Mercedes says once she is sure Quinn is out hearing range, forgetting that Puck is still in the room.

Puck loses the tight hold of his temper and kicks one of the chairs hard enough to send it flying and crashing into a wall.

“You have it completely backwards, Jones. Any hopes of placing in Regionals are up in the air without Rachel. It’s her talent, her drive and her love for music that have kept us together, and if you truly believe what you just said, you’re delusional. I know it’s your jealousy speaking.” Puck fires back.

“That was uncalled for Puck.” Schuester begins to berate Puck, but he actually stops at the look on the boy’s face.

“Figures you would step in when someone defends Rachel. But of course, when the others are harping on the girl or insulting her, once again, you just happen to lose your hearing. If Rachel quits, you lose me too, and no amount of conning will convince me to return or to help you recruit a replacement because that girl is irreplaceable. I’ll even warrant a guess and say that if Rachel goes so will Quinn.” Puck says to Schuester before he too storms out in search of the little diva.

“I thought you weren’t going to pick on Rachel anymore San.” Brittany says disappointed.

“I didn’t. I was just pointing out how she could have helped us win. Do you remember hearing her sing with those college kids Monday? Remember how we played the songs when we were hanging back at your place and how different Linkin Park sounded from what Berry did with her friends? If she had done something similar to the songs we sang at Sectionals we would have claimed first place without having to share it with the other school.” Santana explains.

“When was the last time any of you let her speak about singing without making fun of her or making her feel bad?” Brittany asks. “I don’t like it here anymore. You’re all mean and unfair. Until you’re ready to play nice, don’t go looking for Rachel because you’ll just make her feel more awful. You all need a time out.” She adds before Santana has a chance to reply, and she too follows Quinn and Puck out to find Rachel.

*** * ***

They go straight to the auditorium, thinking that’s where the diva would go. Instead, the place is empty. They try calling, but their phone calls go straight to voicemail. Eventually, they text her asking her how she is and if she wants company. They breathe a sigh of relief when they get a reply shortly that she’s all right and with a request of just wanting to be alone, but thanking them for their sentiment.

Puck, Quinn, and Brittany talk for a bit. They wonder if Rachel will come back to Glee after this. They are shocked but happy that Rachel finally stood up for herself. They are about to head their separate ways when the rest along with Schuester walk in the auditorium. They roll their eyes.

“She’s not here.” Puck says stating the obvious before he walks out. The only reason he isn’t driving to Rachel’s house is because he has to go home and watch his younger sister.

“What? You think Rachel doesn’t feel crappy enough that you’re here for an encore? Thank God she had the common sense to leave the school.” Quinn says.

“Quinn, there is no need to be belligerent. We’re here to clear the air with her. Do you know where she is?” Schuester says.

Quinn is only stopped from snapping at Schuester by Brittany’s hand on her forearm. The contact causes her to face the taller blonde who shakes her head. Quinn takes a deep breath before she faces the others again.

“I don’t know where Rachel is.” Quinn says. She feels like adding a few choice words but manages to clamp her mouth shut. “Britt, do you need a lift home?” She asks instead.

“Sure. I didn’t bring my car today.” Brittany says.

Both blondes walk out without a backwards glance.

Santana feels as if she has been slapped. Brittany was supposed to go home with her.

*** * ***

Quinn starts driving home after dropping Brittany off, but at the last minute, she makes a slight detour and ends up parked outside the Berry residence. She needs to make sure Rachel is okay. After debating for a few minutes, she gets out of her car and walks to the front door. She stands there a couple more minutes before she rings the doorbell.

*** * ***

Rachel hears the doorbell and frowns. She isn’t expecting anyone this evening. Alex and the others are doing their own thing and both her dads are at work, and they wouldn’t ring the doorbell. Even if they had forgotten their keys, they would knock from door that connects the garage with the kitchen. If it’s another Jehovah’s Witness trying to convert them, she is going to forget how to be polite. If it’s another moron trying to sell another upgrade to the house, she is going to scream in his face. She momentarily thinks it might be a serial killer or home invaders, but she quickly dismisses the idea. So, with a scowl firmly in place and her daddy’s putter (one can never be too sure) she opens the front door.

*** * ***

Quinn waits for what feels like hours, and eventually thinks there is no one home. Rachel is probably hiding from the world. She is about to turn around and leave when the front door opens and she comes face to face with a putter wielding diva.

“I come in peace, I swear.” Quinn says with a smirk.

“Quinn, is that you?” Rachel asks lowering the golf club.

“No, I’m the queen of England. Who did you think it was? You do know that if I was a criminal I would’ve just broken in, right?” Quinn says shaking her head at Rachel’s reaction, trying to stifle a giggle.

“Well, your majesty, for your information, the majority of home invasions occur without forced entry, which means the perpetrators usually knock or ring the doorbell. And, in the case of most serial murder victims, there is hardly any evidence of forced entry as well. So, I’m justified in my reaction to an unexpected and unannounced visitor. Granted, I also admit that I thought you were another salesperson intent on ruining my evening further and the putter might have scared them away.” Rachel rambles on, while trying to hide her flushing cheeks.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to spook you. Judging by your reaction, I imagine your dads aren’t home?” Quinn says.

“Apology accepted, and you are correct. Would you like to come in? Or would you prefer to have our conversation standing by my front door.” Rachel asks.

“Very funny. I had no idea you’re such a comedienne.” Quinn says as she follows Rachel inside the house. She is truly in awe at Rachel’s resiliency.

“Have you had dinner yet? You are more than welcomed to join me if you wish. You caught me in the middle of an early dinner preparation.” Rachel says softly. She’s touched by the blonde’s gesture.

It is then that Quinn notices Rachel’s appearance. She’s not wearing the usual clothes she wears to school. Her hair is up on a messy bun. She is dressed in a t-shirt with a man’s dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up over it, a pair of shorts, flip flops and an apron covering her front with two cows surrounded up to their eyes by sheep with the caption ‘are we ever in deep sheep’. The last thing she notices is the gentle sway of Rachel’s hips as they make their way to the kitchen, and the long expanse of legs. Once again, she is struck by how odd it is for someone as short as Rachel to have legs that seem to go on forever.

“Umm, sure. Thanks.” Quinn says as casual as she can while she perches herself over one of the stools by the kitchen island. This will be her first time eating a vegan meal. She hopes it won’t be too weird. She wants to bring up what happened earlier, but she suppresses the urge because she doesn’t want to destroy the seemingly good mood Rachel is in.

“I hope you don’t mind something unconventional for dinner. I was going to make a spinach, feta, and mushroom omelette for myself. If that is not something you would like, I can always make something else.” Rachel says settling on the other side of the island.

“I thought you were vegan. When did that change?” Quinn asks with her eyebrows scrunched together.

“Over the summer. Daddy brought up some very important points. I was using a lot of egg and cheese substitutes. He brought to my attention that I was filling my body with foreign chemicals in order to prove that I’m willing to acknowledge the suffering of innocent and helpless animals without knowing the true effects those chemicals might have on my health in the future. He suggested I relent a bit, and choose dairy and egg products from certified, humanely raised livestock. I have slowly incorporated dairy and eggs back in my diet.” Rachel says as she chops some button mushrooms. “You still haven’t answered me. Would you be all right with an omelette or would you rather I make you something else?” Rachel asks again.

“Whatever you’re having is fine. Thank you.” Quinn replies finally. “Do you need help with anything?” Quinn asks with a small smile.

“No thanks. I have it.” Rachel says with a polite smile. “It’s not that I’m not happy to see you. Quite the contrary; but to what do I owe the pleasure of your unexpected company this evening? I thought Mr. Schue would continue on with the practice as usual.” Rachel asks as she continues to chop spinach.

“I ran out on them after you left. I’ve been really worried about you and I didn’t want to be with them. I needed to make sure my friend is okay.” Quinn says looking at Rachel’s face.

Rachel can’t help the million megawatt smile that appears when she hears those words. Other than Puck, no one at McKinley has really accepted her offer of friendship. At least not until very recently, and to hear Quinn acknowledge the fact, just makes Rachel’s world.

Quinn sees the smile appear on Rachel’s face and can’t help but smile in return. She thinks to herself that Rachel should smile more. Not those practiced smiles, but the real ones that reach her eyes because it makes her even more beautiful. She is glad she’s the cause of that smile.

“Thanks for caring, but I’m okay. I’m used to it by now. The others are probably celebrating that they get a reprieve from me.” Rachel says as she grabs a bowl and breaks three eggs into it. She adds a little bit of salt, pepper and a little bit of vegetable stock, and starts to mix everything together.

“I wouldn’t know. I said a few things to Mr. Schue and I walked out looking for you. I went to the auditorium, thinking you’d seek solace in music. Puck and Britt followed me as well. It seems they lost it on them as well.” Quinn replies.

“You shouldn’t have. I’m not worth all the aggravation. I probably blew my chances of ever getting another solo after what I said earlier, but at least it’ll be a direct consequence of my actions as opposed to the usual denial for no good reason.” Rachel says with a sigh as she starts to cook their meal.

Quinn feels like screaming because this is not the Rachel Berry she knows from freshman year. Hearing the defeated tone of voice along with the self-deprecating comments makes Quinn feel nothing but disgust towards the others and herself. Their actions caused this.

“Please don’t say that. You’re worth that and so much more. You had every right in the world to say what you did. We all deserved it. We’re the ones who should feel horrible, not you. You’re entitled to feel angry but never sorry for what you said. Those words were way overdue.” Quinn says making sure to look straight into Rachel’s eyes.

“Maybe I should have tried harder. I mean, after all as captain, it’s my job.” Rachel says as she walks over the fridge and pulls out a container of strawberries. “I’m making us strawberries and bananas shakes. I wasn’t going to add them to the omelette.” Rachel adds with a giggle when she sees Quinn’s questioning look.

“I didn’t think you were going to do that.” Quinn says with a shake of her head. “Seriously though, you couldn’t give more to Glee even if you tried. This is all on us, Rachel. We’re the ones who need to try harder. We’re the ones who need to stop being petty. We’re the ones who need to learn teamwork.” Quinn continues, still looking directly at Rachel. She hopes the brunette can see how honest she is. “Will you return to Glee on Monday?” She finally asks.

“I don’t know. I would like to think that my talent alone is enough that I won’t need the extracurricular activities, but who knows what I’ll be competing against for a college spot.” Rachel says as she starts to wash and cut the strawberries into chunks before placing them inside a blender.

“Your friend Kelly is right. You get better with each passing day. Even without Glee, you’ll have no problems getting into NYADA, Juilliard, NYU, or whichever college you choose. Don’t let us bully you into coming back. We need you a hell of a lot more than you need us. Don’t let us bring you down. Don’t give us that power. You truly are the most talented singer we have.” Quinn says.

“Thank you. I didn’t know how much I needed to hear those words until just now.” Rachel says adding banana chunks and enough almond milk to cover the fruit.

“It’s the truth. I’m sorry it took me this long to realise it. Why aren’t you using milk if you’re okay with dairy now?” Quinn asks over the noise of the blender.

“When I use dairy for strawberry shakes, it separates after it’s been sitting for a bit. When I use sweetened vanilla almond milk, I skip the sugar, with the added bonus that the final product doesn’t separate.” Rachel answers while she plates their dinner and pours their drinks. “Would you like some water as well?” Rachel asks as she grabs a glass for herself.

“Sure. Thanks Rach. This looks and smells fantastic.” Quinn replies. She doesn’t push the fact that Rachel chose to ignore the first part of her statement.

“Can I ask you something?” Quinn asks as Rachel sits down beside her.

“Of course you can. Unless I cover your mouth with my hands or you lose your voice I don’t see why you couldn’t. If instead you want to make sure you may ask me something but not sure if you should because it’s too personal, my answer would still be yes, but I reserve the right to not answer and switch subjects.” Rachel says with a playful smile.

“You goof. Why did you forgive me? You should hate me. God knows I’ve given you enough reasons to.” Quinn asks.

Rachel looks at her food and then back at Quinn. Even though this friendship is still very new, it feels right. This is something that they need to discuss in order to clear the air. “It takes too much effort to hold a grudge. I don’t like to feel angry, although sometimes it’s hard not to. I want others to give me a second chance when I make mistakes. I’d be a hippo, I mean, I hypocrite if I didn’t give others a second chance. I’ve seen the glimpses of the person you hide behind your bitchy façade. Which reminds me, I’m really sorry about what I did last year. I had no right to say anything to Finn, especially when my motives were all self-serving.” Rachel says, not able to resist the little joke.

“Apology accepted. Things would have played out differently had I been honest from the beginning. There is also a huge difference. I was being outright cruel with my words, actions, and inactions. Yours were selfish, but your intent wasn’t to hurt me.” Quinn says, looking at her food. “You’re too cute and adorable to be a hippo.” Quinn adds, blushing slightly.

Rachel laughs, glad that Quinn picked up on her little joke. “Be that as it may, I had no right to go after Finn while he was still very attached to you. Thank you for accepting my apology and for forgiving me.” Rachel breathes out.

“How are things between you and Sam? I feel bad that you broke his nose because of me.” Rachel asks.

“I broke up with him, and he deserved being punched in the nose. He had no right to push you the way he did.” Quinn says. She tells Rachel everything that happened Monday. “Are you and Puck dating now?” Quinn asks, remembering some of what Finn had said earlier in the day.

“No. We’re not.” Rachel says. She in turns tells Quinn how and why she is friends with Puck now and she looks down in shame once she is done. She truly needs to work on being less impulsive and thinking before acting. “I’m just glad we came to our senses and realised that we work better as friends. What made you think we’re dating?” Rachel finishes as she takes a bite of her meal.

“You hang out together all the time. Not to mention how physically affectionate you are with each other. It screams couple.” Quinn says, taking a bite of her food as well.

“I’m usually a very tactile person. I like to give and receive hugs. Until very recently, Noah has been my only friend in school. I don’t see why I should treat him like a stranger or like a simple acquaintance when he clearly is a friend and isn’t afraid to be seen with me.” Rachel answers.

“I know we’re just becoming friends, but you’re not like that with me.” Quinn says, blushing the shade of the strawberry shake in front of her.

“Up until very recently, you’ve been calling me names that put into question my gender. In the years I have known you; I have never seen you be physically affectionate with any of your friends, male, or female, or allow it from your friends either. I just figured being physically affectionate isn’t part of who you are. I didn’t want you to interpret my actions the wrong way. I didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable around me. As a result, I’ve been watching how I interact with you, at least in the physical sense. It’s nothing personal. As I said before, I like the person you hide behind your Head Bitch In Charge attitude.” Rachel says as she continues to eat.

Quinn can’t help but smile. Once she puts aside any preconceived notions about Rachel’s personality, she finds the girl’s honesty refreshing. Granted, the girl could use a bit of polishing in the tact department, but in the end, if it gets everything out in the open, she really can’t fault Rachel for that. She is also touched by Rachel’s thoughtfulness. It warms her heart that Rachel would go out of her way to make sure she’s comfortable. She mentally kicks herself again for being such a fool.

“I’m not used to people being so honest with me. I like that. I’ll make you a deal. How about we both make an effort to be who we are around each other? No holding back. If either one of us does or says something that makes the other uncomfortable we say something so things don’t get out of hand. Think you’re up for it?” Quinn asks.

Rachel looks at the blonde in front of her and gives her another one of her dazzling smiles. She reaches over and places a hand on Quinn’s forearm. “I’d like that.” Rachel says before she removes her hand and returns to her food.

Quinn can’t help but marvel at the feel of Rachel’s hand. It is so tiny and definitely not manly at all. The fingers are long and slender; possessing a hidden strength that she imagines comes from years of piano playing. The skin is incredibly soft. It’s a hand that begs to be held and caressed.

They spend the rest of the evening getting to know each other better. It amazes Quinn how easy and natural it is to add casual touches here and there. She can definitely see why Rachel is so tactile. It gives her a connection to the other person that words alone can’t convey. By the time Quinn has to head home, she has accepted Rachel’s invitation to hang out with her college friends. She is nervous about it, but she is also touched that Rachel wants to include her with the time she spends with people that clearly mean a lot to the diva. It feels as if they have been friends forever.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for the delay.  
> For disclaimers please see chapter 1

* * *

Chapter 5

 

Thanksgiving Day is the same craziness and utter chaos that has surrounded all three families since Rachel was four. This year, the ‘dinner’ is hosted at the Berrys. There is enough food to feed an army. After last year’s gathering where Alex and Gabe devoured just about everything in sight save for the vegetables and Rachel’s vegan dishes, they decided to err in the side of caution, even if it means a lot of leftovers. At least Rachel and Kelly didn’t go hungry since the girl is vegetarian. They are all ecstatic Rachel has started eating dairy and egg products again. It’s definitely a lot easier to have the more traditional side dishes without major modifications.

Everyone is ecstatic that Rachel finally stood up for herself when she tells them what happened the day before during Glee. It doesn’t escape the others that Rachel is smiling more and she’s occasionally exchanging texts with Quinn and Puck.

“Will you be returning to practice this coming Monday?” Leroy asks softly, knowing how important Glee is for his daughter, but also hating how they all take advantage of her.

“I don’t know. I doubt that after my outburst yesterday that Mr. Schue will give me another solo any time soon. He’ll probably just come up with something similar to what he said and did just before Sectionals as a way to punish me. At least this time he’ll be justified in doing so.” Rachel says defeated.

Everyone at the table sighs at that. They hate how Rachel has changed over the past year, especially during her romances with Jesse and Finn. At least by dumping Finn, the girl is slowly taking control of her life back. They can’t help but wish fervently that the confident girl from just a year before would return.

“If he does, he’s a bigger idiot than I thought.” Kelly says. “You don’t need them Little Robin. It’s the other way around. They’re the ones who need you. Don’t give them that power over you or your future. I know you think you need them for your college applications, and for most people that would be the case. You, my dear girl are the biggest exception because any college you choose to apply to would be lucky to have you. I’ll never know as much about music as you do, but I can tell you that your voice truly is unique. No one has the range you do. I’ve heard you cover every imaginable song and make it sound amazing. I’ve seen you tweak things so that you can make those songs your own and suit your style. You’re the only one I know who can take a punk song and have it sound like something out of a Broadway musical. Those idiotic cheerleaders and jocks at McKinley have written some really mean sh… crap about your music videos, but that’s their jealousy speaking. You’ve seen the comments unbiased people have made about the quality of your singing. Don’t let those wannabes hiding behind a computer have that kind of power over you.” Kelly adds.

“And before you say anything, Kel never showed your videos to her friends. They walked in on us when she was showing me one of your latest songs. Those comments are all genuine.” Alex says before Rachel can counter anything. “Wow Kel. Who knew you had it in you to be able to speak and not end up with your foot in your mouth.” Alex adds facing his sister, making everyone laugh.

The rest of the meal is spent joking about various things and of course, ends with a promise from Rachel to visit more, especially on days her fathers work late. After the clean up, the parents retire to Leroy’s study to catch up while Rachel and the rest of the ‘kids’ make a beeline to the entertainment room in the basement. They finalise their plans to meet the next day. Kelly bites down on her remarks about Puck, but especially Quinn after a well placed glare from Alex. Yes, he is also worried the cheerleader is up to no good, but he also can see that even with as much crap as Rachel has been dealing with since the drama with Finn, the little diva has also been more relaxed. He would like to think that Rachel is right in always giving people a chance to make amends. He makes it a point to say something along the lines of not judging Quinn until at least they all have a chance to interact with the blonde in question. He of course prays that the girl will be done with extra chances where one Finn Hudson is concerned. Once they agree with the time, Rachel sends a quick text to Quinn and Puck so those two can work out who is driving, and whose car they will take. At least with Quinn going there is no choice but to take two cars now and she doesn’t feel so guilty. They are set to meet at Rachel’s house for breakfast and then drive to Columbus with Puck and Quinn following. The rest of the evening is spent playing on Rachel’s Wii.

*** * ***

Quinn’s Thanksgiving is nice, quiet, and relaxed for the first time ever. The house isn’t filled to the brim with relatives all trying to show off and outdo each other. Her sister is still frosty towards her and unfortunately, blames Quinn for their parents’ separation and soon to be official and finalised divorce. It doesn’t help that Quinn still resents Frannie for not helping her during the time she was homeless.

Judy smiles at the relaxed and smiling face of her youngest daughter. She has noticed how Quinn has been smiling more. She knows she will never hear the end of it from the rest of her family because she had flat out refused to have anyone over for Thanksgiving and had held on steadfast on her refusal to go to anyone else’s as well. She knows how much Quinn has always hated all major holidays because it meant stifling relatives all trying to outshine the other. At least her father understands and she will forever be grateful at how adamant he was when he had told his other children to leave Judy and Quinn alone so the two could reconnect.

“What are you thinking about Quinnie?” Judy asks with a smile of her own.

“Not much. I’m really enjoying how nice it is with just the two of us. Thanks Mom. I know you were getting a lot of flak from everyone else.” Quinn answers.

“I’m glad, but I can’t take all the credit. Your grandpa Aaron helped a lot. He’s the one who got the rest to stop their harassment.” Judy says with a small laugh. She hates to think that the only reason they listened to her dad was because they are all afraid to be cut off his will. It sickens her, but she won’t mention anything because she doesn’t want to ruin things for Quinn, although from the look she’s getting from her daughter, she probably suspects it as well. They keep their suspicions quiet through a mutual silent agreement. Today is to be spent relaxing and bonding.

There are no fancy plate settings, and instead of the stifling dining room, they are perched on the breakfast counter. The only traditional holiday fare they have is a pumpkin pie Judy had made from scratch, with Quinn’s ‘help’. The rest of their meal consists of stuffed chicken breasts, a side salad of baby greens and wild rice. Nothing too crazy and definitely no leftovers to deal with. The two blondes actually manage to have some quality time, talking and getting to know each other all over again. By the end of the day, both blondes make a mental note to let Aaron Quinn know just how much they appreciate his help for such a wonderful day. They have never been closer and that is a cause for celebration and a reason to be truly thankful.

*** * ***

Puck’s Thanksgiving is spent at his maternal grandmother’s place. It’s the usual gossip fest between the adults, and non-stop griping over his past mistakes. He wishes he could have just stayed home. If it weren’t for the fact that his mom has been on top of his community service, he would have claimed he had to stay behind for that purpose. He knows he has made a lot of mistakes, but is it too much to ask to go one day without someone reminding him of what a fuck up he is. He wishes he could spend the day with Rachel and her family. Rachel might harp on him, but she tempers it with compliments and a true belief that he **_can_** make something good out of his life. Being the only male child in his family doesn’t help. The expectations everyone has for him are staggering. He wishes he could spend the rest of the day drunk out of his mind. He wishes he could spend a day with his family where he is not made to feel like such a failure.

*** * ***

Rachel sends a quick text to Puck wishing him a good night. She knows more than likely she won’t get a reply. If anything, Puck is probably locked in his room, his phone silent with a headset on and as he blasts away his frustration through his video games.

Rachel is delighted when she receives another text from Quinn just as she gets ready for bed. It has become something they have done since they started to work on their differences. She feels nervous about their meeting tomorrow. Part of her is happy because she gets to see Puck and Quinn. The other part is afraid of what might happen. She sends a quiet prayer to any and all deities listening that things will work out because there is always the potential that Kelly’s volatile temper mixed with Quinn’s HBIC façade and attitude will result in some explosive arguments. Then of course there is the possibility of Puck saying something stupid and with his quick temper added in the mixture, Rachel actually cringes at some of the possible outcomes. She actually has to admit that having two cars is actually a genius idea. If she wasn’t so environmentally conscious, she’d suggest driving her own car just so she has an out if things really get out of hand.

*** * ***

Quinn is quite nervous about spending time with Rachel’s friends. She has seen how protective they can be and even though she knows she deserves it, she hopes she won’t have to be on the receiving end of that protective streak. She makes a mental note to be on her best behaviour in order to make sure Rachel has a good time. She keeps telling herself that whatever hostility directed her way, however well deserved, would be nothing more than one of Sue’s tirades, hoping that is enough to keep her temper in check. After all, she has mastered the skill of filtering all the unnecessary words and only focus on what’s important when Sue speaks to them. She is brought out of her musings by the chirping of her phone. She smiles when she reads the message.

**Rachel B**

**Relax. Everything will work out.**

Quinn quickly types her response.

 

**Thanks Rach. Sweet dreams.**

Both girls go to bed with a smile on their faces.

*** * ***

Quinn is not sure what to expect. All she has been told is that Rachel and the others usually meet at least once in that little café whenever Alex, Gabe, and Kelly are visiting. Any attempts of striking up a conversation with Puck die down when all she gets are grunts and the occasional one-word answer. Quinn knows that music is involved, so more than likely it means that Rachel will sing. She can hardly contain her excitement. Listening to Rachel sing is an experience she will never get tired of, especially when it happens without their teammates’ horrible attitudes and the pressure to win. Quinn is nearly bouncing in the passenger seat of Puck’s truck by the time they pull in the Berrys’ driveway. She breaks into a huge grin when the front door opens and Rachel runs out to meet them.

“Good morning Rach.” Quinn greets softy as she is helped off the truck by petite hands.

“Good morning Quinn. Did you sleep all right? Did you have an acceptable Thanksgiving?” Rachel asks, pulling the blonde for a quick hug.

“It was great. I wish all upcoming holidays could be as relaxing. I didn’t have to deal with throngs of nosy and stuck up relatives.” Quinn says with a genuine smile, returning the hug eagerly, nearly melting in the embrace. “How about yours?” She adds.

“The usual chaos of three families. It was great.” Rachel says smiling just as big.

“Here. I know you said I didn’t have to bring anything, but I got some whole grain croissants from the bakery down on Elm and Seventh.” Quinn says as she hands Rachel a neatly tied box.

“Thanks. I love these. I missed them when I went vegan.” Rachel takes the box with a grin, her mouth watering as they wait for Puck to get out of the truck.

“Hey Rach.” Puck greets with a half smile, trying to cover his frustration.

“Here Rach. I got this.” Quinn says as she takes the box from Rachel’s hand, earning her a grateful smile from the diva.

Rachel immediately goes on alert by the tone of his voice. “Good morning Noah.” Rachel says softly, moving over to hug him as well. “What happened? I thought things were better when I got your text last night.” Rachel asks once she pulls apart.

“I can’t stay. I’m only dropping Quinn off. Mom got called in to work last minute and we can’t get in touch with our usual sitter. Mom nearly bit my head off when I suggested I’d bring the squirt along. There’s no one to watch the kid, so I gotta stay home.” Puck says getting worked up all over again.

Quinn does a double take at that. He had said nothing when he picked her up. It certainly explains why he has been so quiet and looking so angry during their drive over. She had assumed it was because of the whole separate cars bit. “You could have said something. I would have been more than happy to drive over here.” Quinn says slightly annoyed. She didn’t deserve to get the brunt of his frustrations.

“I wanted to see Rachel and explain in person. I also don’t think it’s such a hot idea for you drive to Columbus on your own.” Puck says lifting his hands up in defence. “Before you say anything else, it’s not because you’re a chick. I know you’re a good driver, Quinn. The drive to Columbus is a long one, and there are lots of nutjobs that’ll probably be returning from their Black Friday shopping expeditions. I don’t like the idea of you facing them on your own. What if you guys get separated or something?” Puck says as he shoves his hands in his pockets, leaving behind a dumbfounded Quinn. He then turns his attention to the diva. “Rachel, you tell your friends that Quinn will ride with all of you. And before you girls go nuts on me with your feminist rants, let me remind you that because of my pool cleaning side job, I’ve clocked a hell of a lot more miles as a driver. I’m thinking about your safety here. We’re not talking a ten minute drive, but a nearly two-hour drive one way, with lots of whackos on the loose.” Puck adds in as serious a tone as they have ever heard him use.

“I agree with Noah.” Rachel says quickly. She’s not sure how Quinn will take Puck’s words because she can still see them be at odds around the other. She knows they have talked about Beth, but there is still a lot they need to work through before they can truly be comfortable with each other. “Noah, you should have said something though. I would have been more than happy picking Quinn up. It’s nice to see you though.” Rachel adds before she stands on her tippy toes and pecks him on the cheek. “You’re so sweet. Thank you.” Rachel says as she wraps her arms around his torso, pulling him for a hug.

“Thanks Puck. I’m sorry I lost my cool.” Quinn says awkwardly. She’s not used to seeing this side of Puck, nor is she used to people looking after her with no ulterior motives. This is the side of Puck that only Rachel knows, and she feels privileged that she gets to see it as well.

“Call me when you get back. We can hang out tomorrow or something.” Puck says stepping away as he starts to make his way back to his truck.

“I’ll definitely see you tomorrow Noah. Thank you for looking after Quinn. I wouldn’t have been happy with her driving to Columbus by herself either.” Rachel says.

Quinn walks over to the driver’s side and waits for Puck to lower his window. “You’re not so bad once you put aside that badass persona of yours. See you in school.” Quinn says before she steps away to a safe distance.

“Take care of her, Quinn. Prove me right and the rest wrong.” Puck says softly before he drives off.

Puck’s words leave a smile on Quinn’s face. At least he isn’t questioning her sincerity and her desire to be friends with Rachel any more. In fact, he has been openly defending her from the sheep’s rumours. Her smile falters when she catches sight of Rachel’s pensive look. The pessimist in her automatically thinks Rachel is probably regretting inviting her to tag along now that Puck isn’t there to act as buffer. That is until she remembers the conversations she has had one-on-one with Rachel. They never felt forced, so with a bit of effort, she tells her pessimistic side to stuff it. She’s not going to ruin something that feels so right by jumping to conclusions.

“You okay?” Quinn asks tilting her head to the side.

“Yeah. I’m debating what will save our sanity better. Driving with you in my car, or just take one car and hope for the best.” Rachel says cringing slightly. “I know we kind of let Noah believe we’re going to take one car, but I don’t know if I can take all the bickering that might ensue when Kelly’s protective side kicks in and your HBIC side reacts. Especially when it’s not fair to you. I don’t want you to regret coming.” Rachel adds shyly.

Rachel’s words make Quinn smile. She feels all warm and fuzzy that the diva was thinking of her comfort. “We can do whatever you think is best. I promise you won’t have anything to worry about from me. I’ll be on my best behaviour. These are your friends, and I know they love you. They have every right to mistrust me.” Quinn says feeling slightly guilty.

“No, they don’t. They don’t know you. All the information they get comes second hand from me. It’s not fair of them to judge you based solely on my biased accounts. There are two sides to every story, and they don’t know yours.” Rachel says stepping closer to Quinn.

“I’ve been an outright bitch to you. They have all the right in the world to treat me like crap and doubt my intentions. My side of the story won’t change that fact.” Quinn says feeling the crushing weight of her guilt settle on her shoulders.

“We all deserve a chance to fix our mistakes.” Rachel says as she places a hand on Quinn’s forearm.

“You’re really a wonderful person.” Quinn says in awe.

“I’m not. I’ve done my fair share of bad things. I promised you a second chance and I meant it. You have given me no reason to doubt your sincerity. In a few days, you’ve made my life at school pleasant, not just bearable. Not even Noah managed to stop the slushies, even though he tried. Thank you.” Rachel says as she pulls Quinn into a hug.

Quinn is taken aback by the words and the feel of Rachel wrapping her arms around her once again. The hug feels slightly awkward because she is still holding a box of pastries in one of her hands, but she doesn’t let that deter her from enjoying the moment. She wraps her own arms around Rachel’s shoulder as best as she can and marvels at how easily their bodies fit together. Quinn rests her right cheek on top of Rachel’s head and inhales deeply. She smiles when she catches a light fragrance of honeysuckle and jasmine. It’s slowly becoming one of her favourite scents. Reluctantly, they pull apart.

“Are your friends here yet?” Quinn asks, eyes glancing around the Berry driveway.

“Not yet. They should be arriving soon. Come with me.” Rachel says grabbing the box from Quinn’s hand and taking the blonde’s hand in hers. “Give me your coat.” Rachel adds once they’re inside.

Quinn’s smile fades the moment they enter the kitchen and she sees Rachel’s dads drinking coffee and reading the newspaper on the breakfast counter.

“Dad, Daddy. This is Quinn Fabray. Quinn, these are Hiram and Leroy Berry, my dads.” Rachel says as she sets the box of croissants on top of the breakfast island.

“Umm. Nice to meet you sirs.” Quinn says extending her right hand nervously.

“Hi Quinn. The pleasure is all ours. And please call me Leroy. Sir or Mr. Berry would only get too confusing.” Leroy says with a kind smile as he takes Quinn’s hand in his.

“Hello Quinn. It’s nice to make your acquaintance. Rachel has said some really wonderful things about you. By the way, you were fantastic during Sectionals. And Leroy is correct. Please call me Hiram.” Hiram says as he takes a bewildered Quinn’s hand into both of his, smiling sweetly at her. His eyes then focus on the box his daughter has put on the island. “Are those from ‘The Pastry Box’?” Hiram asks.

“Yes, they are. Quinn was kind enough to bring something even though I asked her to only bring herself.” Rachel says while she rummages through the refrigerator.

“Girl, you just endeared yourself to my husband big time. He is addicted to anything and everything that is sold at that bakery.” Leroy says with a chuckle.

“Their things only come in second to Rachel’s baking.” Hiram adds quickly.

“It’s okay Dad. You can like their baking better than mine.” Rachel says chuckling at her parents.

Quinn stands there transfixed. She loves to see this unguarded side of Rachel. This isn’t the girl who is all big words and all about Glee winning competitions, and her future as a star. This is a girl enjoying her fathers’ company. She smiles when she thinks that she finally gets to have this type of relationship with her mother.

“Quinn… Quinn!” Rachel tries calling a few times. She sets her armful of ingredients on the counter before she walks around the island and waves her hand in front of the blonde a few times. “Quinn. Do I need to send out a search party inside that pretty little head of yours?” Rachel tries again, finally snapping the blonde out of her thoughts.

“Oh, sorry Rach. I got caught in my thoughts.” Quinn answers sheepishly once she sees Rachel’s hand waving in front of her. “What can I do to help?” She asks, blushing slightly. The colour on her cheeks turns darker and spread further when she catches a glimpse of two smirking men.

“Just keep me company. Are you allergic to anything at all? Or is there anything you hate eating?” Rachel asks while she puts on the same apron she had on two nights ago.

That’s when Quinn realises once again that Rachel isn’t wearing her usual school attire. The girl has on a pair of dark washed skinny jeans with a form fitting royal blue mock turtle neck sweater. Her outfit is finished with a pair of two-inch boots. ‘That’s why she seemed taller earlier when she hugged me.’ Quinn thinks.

“I’d listen to her if I were you Quinn. Rachel hates it when people get in her way when she is cooking. We wouldn’t want her to chase you out of the kitchen with a wooden spoon, or worse yet, a spatula.” Hiram says shuddering, the memory of the day before still fresh in his mind.

“Rachel only went after him with a wooden spoon because he kept trying to eat the components for the dessert she was going to bake. Don’t listen to him. You’re our guest, so sit and keep my baby girl company. Though if I were you, I’d take the stool closest to the door in case you get tempted to sample something and Rachel decides a repeat of last night is necessary.” Leroy says through light chuckles that turn into full blown laughter after he hears Hiram scoff beside him.

“All right guys, stop picking on your only daughter.” Rachel says as she pulls her hair into a messy bun.

“Okay, no more. We won’t embarrass you in front of your friend yet. We’ll wait until we get to know each other better and she feels more comfortable around us. That way she can join in the fun.” Leroy says, still roaring with laughter.

Quinn giggles at Rachel’s indignant look, but she manages to stifle them before Rachel notices, causing Leroy to laugh even harder.

“Come one, Honey. Let’s take our leave before we’re banished to eating cold cereal or instant oatmeal for breakfast.” Hiram says as he pulls a slightly contrite looking Leroy with him. “Oh Hon, and make yourself useful, why don’t you and grab our coffee.” He adds.

“That’s all I am to you, aren’t I? Your servant.” Leroy says playfully as he gathers the mugs from the counter.

“Drat! I’ve been found out.” Hiram says chuckling.

“Well, girls, I’ll see you later. My master calls.” Leroy says as he follows with both coffee mugs and the newspapers they were reading.

“I’ll let you know when breakfast is ready.” Rachel calls out after her dads’ retreating figures with a small chuckle.

“Are they always like that?” Quinn asks as she perches herself in one of the stools on the other side of the island. She had never seen her parents act that way around each other when they were still together.

“Yes, they are. I had hoped that with you here they’d hold off until they got to know you a bit better. I hope they haven’t scared you off.” Rachel says as she starts to sort the ingredients in front of her. “By the way, you never answered my questions.” She adds.

“Huh?” Quinn manages to say, replaying the last few minutes in her head, hoping she can remember what Rachel had asked.

“It’s okay. I just wanted to know if you have any food allergies and if there is anything you don’t like to eat.” Rachel says giggling at the confused look on her newest friend’s face. She honestly hopes that this won’t turn out like just about every other relationship she has had so far, where the other party always chooses their reputation and popularity. If the last couple of days are an indication, she might get her wishes. She likes this version of Quinn the girl with dreams and hopes, instead of Quinn Fabray, Head Bitch In Charge of McKinley.

“No food allergies to my knowledge. As long as you’re not going to serve me liver or any other internal organ, I’m fine.” Quinn says making a disgusted face.

“I have yet to know of a breakfast fare that uses liver or internal organs, so you have nothing to worry about on that end. Now, on to more important business, since you’re the only one here on time, you get to pick what we have for breakfast.” Rachel says as she looks at the clock on the microwave.

“Anything you decide is fine with me, really.” Quinn says with a smile.

“I insist. You’re my guest. Within reason, anything is fair game.” Rachel insists.

Quinn takes a look at everything Rachel has set on the breakfast island. “I really have no idea. I mean, I see a bunch of things in front of me and I have no clue what you can make with them. My mom is the one who takes care of the cooking. I can microwave with the best of them though.” Quinn admits with a silly smile.

“How about I give you a few options and you tell me what you’d rather have?” Rachel asks.

“I can live with that. But really, you can just make whatever or ask your dads.” Quinn replies.

“My dads will eat anything and everything I make. The others can suck it since they’re running late. I can make pancakes, French toast, waffles, crêpes, eggs with bacon or sausage, and some really bland things like oatmeal. I could also bake muffins. I think I have enough ingredients for berry explosion and oatmeal raisins ones.” Rachel says with a smile.

“You know how to make crêpes?” Quinn asks amazed.

“When I’m not in ballet, piano or voice lessons, I have quite a bit of free time. There are only so many variations on salads one can eat before they all taste the same. My parents’ would also balloon out the size of the Goodyear blimp. Not to mention we’d be walking ticking bombs for hypertension and heart disease, so I took it upon myself to learn how to cook. As a result, I found out I’m quite good at it, if I do say so myself.” Rachel says. “All that just to ask if that mean you’d prefer crêpes over anything else I mentioned? Maybe I do have a tendency to ramble.” She adds shaking her head slightly.

“Do we have enough time for that?” Quinn asks, but not really admitting that her mouth is watering at the prospect of crêpes. She can’t remember the last time she had them.

“Of course we do. We’re not really on a set schedule.” Rachel replies with an easy smile as she starts to gather everything she will need, her mind already made up at the look on Quinn’s face. “Do I need to know of any dietary restrictions imposed by Ms. Sylvester?” Rachel adds as she starts to measure out ingredients into a bowl.

“Not really. As long as we keep within her weight parameters, then we’re fine. She only flips out when we start to gain weight.” Quinn replies. “Thank you for asking. Most people don’t bother and if I mention anything, they have a fit about how controlling Coach is and I’ll admit that as a result, at one point, every single Cheerio has had issues with body image. What most people don’t understand is that in order for us to be able to do the lifts, tosses, twirls, flips and summersaults, we have to stay to a very strict weight window.” Quinn adds softly.

“The same holds true for ballet. I have been playing with this recipe to keep as much flavour as possible while still be healthy. I still haven’t found the perfect balance yet. I don’t want to subject you to my experiments, so I was going to use the original full-fat recipe as closely as I could. I don’t want to be the reason Ms. Sylvester yells at you or something because her bloodhounds manage to sniff the remnants of this breakfast when we’re back to school on Monday.” Rachel says while she mixes the crêpe batter.

Rachel’s quip causes Quinn to burst out in laughter. “For someone who doesn’t have a lot of contact with Coach Sylvester, you sure seem to have her pegged down to a T.” Quinn says once she recovers. “Don’t worry about it. As long as I don’t go back on Monday having gained five pounds, I’m in the clear.” She adds.

“The only thing I’m deviating is the fact that I’m substituting some of the milk for almond milk because it gives the final product a really aromatic flavour.” Rachel continues with a small chuckle. She feels like patting herself on the back for being the cause of the blonde’s mirth. She loves this unguarded version of Quinn.

Quinn watches in awe as Rachel mixes everything in the bowl, without so much as hunting around for a recipe. When the diva is done, she quickly covers the batter with plastic wrap and sets it aside.

“Any particular fillings you prefer? I was thinking of a mixed berries and caramel apple and pear slices, but I’m open to suggestions.” Rachel says as she starts to get the fruits ready. “Normally I’d offer you a better selection, but we seem to be running a bit low on fruits, seeing as most of them were used for Thanksgiving the day before.” Rachel says with an apologetic smile.

“God Rach. Don’t apologise please. You’re the one making me food. What you just said sounds heavenly.” Quinn says shaking her head.

Rachel smiles and starts to wash and put assorted berries into a mixing bowl. She adds honey and mixes everything with a wooden spoon. When she is satisfied with that, she covers the bowl and sets it aside. Then she proceeds to peel, core and slice apples and pears. When she is done, she squirts some lemon juice and quickly cleans up her mess.

“Isn’t that a bit much?” Quinn asks as she sees the amount of food Rachel is preparing.

Rachel laughs heartily at that. “Not when one is cooking for bottomless pits.” Rachel says in between bouts of laughter.

“Hey, we resemble that remark.” Alex says walking into the kitchen, quickly followed by Gabe and Kelly. “Sorry we’re late, but Mom needed our help with Fusilli.” Alex adds as he manoeuvres to where Rachel is. He kisses her cheek and gives her a quick one-armed hug before he moves out of the way. The last thing he wants is for Rachel to go after him with some cooking utensil.

Alex quickly moves to the other side of the island and sits on the other end of the breakfast counter. “Good morning Quinn.” He says politely.

“Good morning.” Quinn says softly, tensing up slightly.

“Hey. And you couldn’t have texted me or something to let me know?” Rachel asks as she adds sugar and some water into a deep pan.

“Hey Little Robin.” Gabe says as he follows and gives Rachel a peck on her cheek and settles on a stool beside Quinn. “Hey Quinn.” He greets with a friendly smile, making the blonde relax a bit.

“Hello Gabriel.” Quinn says shyly.

“It’s Gabe.” He says with a wink. “And don’t worry, I know for a fact I don’t bite. Can’t say anything about those two though.” He adds with another wink. He smiles when he sees the blonde relax further and Rachel’s mouthed ‘thank you’.

“Hey Little Robin.” Kelly says as she too moves towards Rachel, but she’s stopped by a hand holding a wooden spoon.

“Don’t. I’m making caramel, and I don’t want to accidentally burn you with it.” Rachel says. “Oh, and hi.” She adds with a sheepish smile.

“I should be insulted, but I’m not. You’re lucky you’re such a good cook.” Kelly says as she settles on the last stool between Alex and Gabe.

“Good morning Kelly.” Quinn says in what she hopes is a friendly tone when the older brunette sits down without so much as a look her way.

“Oh, right. Good morning, Quinn is it? I’m unsure, seeing as Rachel’s offers of friendship are always turned down, so it’s quite shocking to see someone else other than her family, let alone trying to remember names.” Kelly says with a fake smile on her face and an overly sweet voice.

Rachel shoots her a pointed look while Alex and Gabe both elbow her and shake their heads at her, disappointment clearly etched on each of their faces, to go along the slight shocked one on Quinn’s face.

“Excuse us for a moment, why don’t you? My sister and I have some pending business to discuss.” Alex says before anything else can be said once he takes a good look at Rachel’s worried, sad and disappointed face. He quickly gets up, covers Kelly’s mouth with his hand, and literally drags his sister out into the living room.

“I’m sorry Quinn. That was completely uncalled for. Regardless of what has happened, the fact that Rachel is willing to give you a second chance should be more than enough for us. Especially when we can see that even after she dumped the troll, I mean, Finn, she has been happier than we’ve seen her since the last summer.” Gabe says immediately.

“It’s not your apology to make Gabe, but I appreciate the gesture. Besides, I deserve that and more. It’s no secret that I’ve been a total bitch to Rachel.” Quinn says softly, eyes locked on Rachel.

Rachel smiles at his thoughtfulness. She looks at the pot of melting sugar and water and decides that a pot of caramel is not worth her new friend being upset. She turns the burner off, makes her way to where Quinn is seated, and pulls the blonde into a hug. Quinn says softly as she melts into Rachel’s comforting arms.

“I’m sorry Quinn. This is all my fault. I was being selfish because I wanted to spend time with you and the others. I never thought it would cause such a problem. I knew the others would take some time warming up to you, but I never thought anyone would be outright rude to you like that. I hope you don’t regret accepting my offer of friendship because you certainly did not deserve that from Kel.” Rachel says sadly.

“I’ll be right back.” Gabe says as he too gets up and leaves the kitchen, without giving the other girls a chance to say anything else.

*** * ***

Gabe stomps his way to the living room and catches up with his two best friends before they manage to even sit down on the couch.

“What the fuck was that Kelly? We agreed to keep things friendly and to give the kids a chance.” Gabe hisses out, barely able to contain his anger, Rachel’s words to Quinn reminding him just how sensitive she is.

“It’s her own fault for treating Rachel like that. She actually made herself right at home, laughing and joking as if nothing bad ever happened between them. Like she hasn’t been responsible for a big chunk of Rachel’s unhappiness.” Kelly counters, though she is slightly taken aback by Gabe’s anger. He is usually so laid back.

“Cut the crap Sis. You know you’re in the wrong here. We promised Rachel we’d behave. We promised Rachel we’d give her schoolmates and new friends a chance to prove themselves.” Alex says.

“No. You cut the crap. If it was the troll here you’d be going off on him and even with the threat of jail time you’d beat the shit out of him. How is it different from my reaction with Malibu Barbie?” Kelly snaps.

“It’s different because he claimed to love Rachel while he did all that crap to her. Since they’ve met, Rachel and Quinn have always been at odds with each other. Up until recently, Quinn never claimed to be Rachel’s friend, nor did she try to hide under nice words while she slowly tore Rachel apart at the seams like Douche Boy has been doing. You seem to forget one very important detail. Have you seen Rachel happier than she has been these last few days?” Alex counters immediately, making sure to keep his voice down. He knows the girls know they’re the subject of this talk, but he still doesn’t want them to hear the exchange.

“Don’t Kelly. I agree with Alex. Rachel is blaming herself for your fuck up. She is apologising to Quinn because you can’t seem to get your head out of your ass. I get it that you feel like shit because you couldn’t foresee what St. Wanker and the others did to Rachel last year, but treating anyone who tries to befriend her like crap isn’t the solution. You’re all the way in the outskirts of Chicago. Do you really want Rachel to spend the rest of her junior and the entirety of her senior year alone because you scare off anyone who tries to befriend her? Do you think that’s fair?” Gabe adds before Kelly can launch into another round of excuses to justify her actions.

“I don’t want her to remain alone with only us as her friends. You know I want a better life for her. You’ve seen what that girl has written on Rachel’s MySpace videos. You’ve heard from Rachel herself how this girl has treated her since freshman year. How do I know she’s not setting her up for some epic humiliation?” Kelly says a lot more subdued now. She never wanted Rachel to feel guilty or bad about wanting to have friends.

“Because I’ve been paying attention to not just only what Rachel says, but how she says it. Because Quinn has been there for Rachel when we haven’t been able to these last few days. And no, I don’t think that a few days of being nice negate everything else that has happened between them, but you also need to realise that Rachel isn’t completely innocent either. She willingly went after a guy who was already taken. She didn’t back off when she thought the troll was the one who fathered Quinn’s baby, and she sure as hell didn’t have the right to say a single thing about the baby’s paternity once she found out about it. No matter what, it was never her secret to reveal. If they are both willing to put their differences aside and work towards becoming good friends, then who the fuck are we to say anything about it? Right now, Rachel is in the kitchen with one of the few people who have stuck up openly for her. And as I said to Rachel and Quinn before, if Rachel is willing to give someone a second chance, then I’m going to trust her judgment.” Gabe says calmer as well.

“How can you just forgive her after everything she has done to Rachel?” Kelly asks as she shakes her head in disbelief.

“Quinn has done nothing to me. It’s not up to me to forgive her. It’s always been up to Rachel. I trust her judgement.” Gabe says with a shake of his own head.

“What about us? Where does that leave us?” Kelly asks, though both young men hear the underlying ‘what about me?’ in those questions.

“Sis, you’re not going to lose Rachel as your friend just because she makes new ones. You have other friends other than Rachel, so why can’t she? How many times have we wished for something like this to happen? Until Quinn gives us a reason to doubt her sincerity, retract the claws and give the kid a chance. Putting her on the defensive will accomplish nothing but a lousy time for all of us and cause Rachel even more grief. Don’t make her choose because it isn’t fair. Once we return to college, Rachel will once again be on her own. She has the chance to remedy that, and I sure as hell don’t want to be responsible for ruining any chances she has of making new friends.” Alex says softly as he takes his sister’s hand in his.

“What if Rachel gets hurt really bad? Those two don’t have the best track record and we all know what she has done to Rachel.” Kelly pushes on.

“No, we don’t. We only know Rachel’s side of the situation. Even if Rachel’s accounts have been one hundred percent accurate without any embellishment, the fact of the matter is that now Rachel feels like she can trust Quinn. Give them both the benefit of the doubt. Don’t judge Quinn based solely on her past actions. You can’t expect someone to change for the better when you keep throwing their past mistakes in their face. Let it go for now Sis.” Alex says in a tired voice. “I don’t want Rachel to blame herself because you’re a hot headed ass, Kel.” He adds when he sees Kelly ready to reply with another set of arguments and excuses to justify her actions and distrust towards the Head Cheerio.

“It’s not your decision to make Kel.” Gabe adds.

“Does she really blame herself?” Kelly asks sadly. Leave it to Rachel to take on the weight of the world on her shoulders. “And it’s not that I don’t want her to have friends, especially ones that are her age. I just don’t want her to get hurt all over again if all of a sudden Quinn decides that popularity is more important. We all know how easily Rachel gets attached to people.” Kelly adds.

“Yes, she actually apologised to Quinn. She stopped cooking just so she could comfort her new friend. That should show you how much Rachel already cares.” Gabe answers.

“If we’re wrong, and Quinn ends up doing something to humiliate or hurt Rachel, I’ll drive you here myself to kick her ass.” Alex adds with a smirk.

The words of the other two finally click in Kelly’s head, and she can’t help but feel guilty at her own behaviour. She has been ranting about how the sheep at McKinley have been treating Rachel like shit based only on rumours and second hand accounts, and here she is doing the exact same thing to someone else. She lowers her head in shame.

“I’ll behave. I’ll give Quinn a chance and hope that she’ll prove me wrong. If she does something mean to Rachel on purpose then I’ll kick her ass. You have my word.” Kelly says, already making up her mind to apologise to both girls.

“That’s all we’re asking for.” Alex says with a smile, glad that Kelly is finally seeing reason.

They slowly make their way to the kitchen, and they are floored by what they see.

*** * ***

 

Quinn instinctively wraps her own arms around Rachel and shifts so that the diva is nestled against her body, between her legs. She notices absently that even sitting down on the stool, she is still a little bit taller than Rachel is, even though the girl is standing and wearing heels. She files that information for later use. Right now, is definitely not the time for teasing. She’s brought out of her musings when she sees how sad Rachel looks. The way Rachel sounded so defeated, and how she truly believed this was her fault had made Quinn’s blood boil. She wants to unleash her inner bitch at Kelly, but deep down, she knows the girl had been justified in her behaviour. She had after all, been torturing Rachel since freshman year. She’ll just have to be happy with trying to cheer the diva up.

“Rach, it’s not your fault at all. I deserved that. I’d actually be worried if they didn’t come at me ready to rip me a new one. I’ve been awful to you, and I’m really grateful that you’re willing to give me another chance, but…” Quinn starts to speak, only to be interrupted by Rachel.

“Don’t you dare apologise again. We’ve gone over this before. We’ve forgiven each other of our past transgressions. Wallowing in them doesn’t help. Let it go please. And no matter what you think, you don’t deserve the sort of treatment you got from Kelly. They know me well enough that they should trust my judgement.” Rachel says as she looks into stormy hazel eyes.

“Maybe so, but you have to admit that your judgement went to pot since meeting Finn.” Quinn says as she lifts one of her hands to brush a loose strand of Rachel’s hair behind her ears.

“But at least I’ve come to my senses.” Rachel mumbles out.

“Yes, you have.” Quinn says as she looks into Rachel’s eyes. She had never noticed how Rachel’s deep chocolate eyes have little gold specks under the right lighting.

Quinn is about to say something else when her stomach chooses that exact moment to remind them that they have yet to eat anything. Quinn blushes a deep crimson and hides her face in Rachel’s head.

“Mmm. Sounds like someone is hungry. I should get back to our breakfast.” Rachel says, though she makes no effort to really move away.

“I’ve been up since like seven this morning.” Quinn mumbles into Rachel’s hair.

That’s all Rachel needs to hear to pull herself together. “Oh my God! It’s nearly ten now. No wonder your body is protesting the lack of food.” Rachel says as she finally moves from the spot between Quinn’s legs and makes her way to the other side of the kitchen island. “Well, looks like I’m going to have to start a new batch of caramel.” Rachel adds as she sees the pot of crystallised sugar. She quickly tosses the pot in the sink as she searches for a replacement.

“Why do you have start over? Why can’t you just continue from before?” Quinn asks intrigued as she walks around to where Rachel is half-buried in one of the bottom cabinets.

Rachel finally finds a replacement pot big enough and sets it on the counter. “It would take me a lot longer to melt the sugar glob from before and not burn it now that it has hardened into a block of candy.” Rachel says as she points to the sink.

Quinn takes a peek and raises her eyebrows at the sight. “Hold on, does that mean that the apple and pear filling is going to be hard like brittle candy?” Quinn asks confused.

Rachel laughs at that. “You really don’t know much when it comes to cooking, do you?” Rachel asks amused.

“I really don’t. For as long as I can remember, my mom has always taken care of the cooking. If she didn’t feel like it, then we’d eat out or we’d have something delivered. My sister and I never had to learn, and my mom never asked us for help. I think it was a way for her to get some alone time, especially when she was still married to Russell.” Quinn admits, relieved she has someone she can trust.

“If you want, I can show you so you’ll know what I’m talking about.” Rachel says as she waves the blonde over to her.

“I won’t get in the way?” Quinn asks, remembering the earlier exchange with Leroy and Hiram. “I really don’t want to be hit over the head with a wooden spoon.” Quinn adds with a playful smile.

“Dad deserved it. Besides, I never hit him with it. I just chased him away from my kitchen. I was in the middle of something and even though I had made extra, with the way he was sampling everything, I’d have run short for the actual dessert.” Rachel says defensively. “You won’t have to worry about a thing unless you plan on sneaking in taste tests. But in all honesty, I’d avoid it when making caramel. You’d risk getting seriously burned.” She adds.

“So this is your kitchen, huh?” Quinn asks with a playful smile.

“Of course it is. I do most of if not all the serious cooking here. My dads are hopeless and I admit I’m too much of a control freak to eat something and not know what it is that’s going into my body now that I’ve thought about that.” Rachel says, feeling more at ease with Quinn now that they are back to a one-on-one setting.

Quinn smiles when she notices that Rachel is back to being relaxed. She hopes that whenever the others return, they won’t ruin things all over again. Well, she hopes Kelly won’t shove her foot in her mouth, and she hopes that if the older girl does, that she’ll be able to rein the HBIC that rules McKinley.

“Figures you’d be just as bossy at home as you’re in Glee.” Quinn says playfully, none of the malice that would have tainted the moment a mere week ago.

“Well, why mess with perfection?” Rachel says with a dramatic sigh.

“I can see why you’d take the acting world by storm. You’re such a drama queen.” Quinn says still as playful as before. Next thing either one of them knows, Quinn breaks out into a refrain from a well known song with a very blatant modification.

_You are a drama queen_

_Young and sweet, only seventeen_

_Drama queen, feel the beat_

_From the tambourine, oh yeah._

“Oh my God! That’s not how the song goes and you know it. Besides, I’m not seventeen yet.” Rachel says, dropping the measuring cup as she lifts a wooden spoon and points threateningly in Quinn’s direction.

“It’s called ‘artistic license’. My version suits your unique situation better.” Quinn says in a fit of giggles. “You’re only sixteen?” Quinn asks once Rachel’s words sink in.

“Keep it up, and you might find yourself eating a bowl of cereal with milk. Artistic license my foot!” Rachel says, still brandishing the wooden spoon and waving it in Quinn’s general direction. “I won’t turn seventeen until mid-December.” Rachel says with a shrug.

“I’m surprised you didn’t threaten to give me a slice of bread with a glass of water.” Quinn says cheekily. She makes a mental note to find out when Rachel’s birthday is.

“I would have, but I baked the bread yesterday and even though it’s not super fresh, that’d still be too nice a treat.” Rachel replies in the same cheeky tone.

Both girls break out in a fit of giggles.

“Seriously now, come here.” Rachel motions to Quinn, putting down the wooden spoon.

“Only because you’re unarmed, and I’m really curious.” Quinn says grinning as she steps closer to where Rachel is.

“At its core, all hard candy is just crystallised sugar. I’ve played around with some, where I’ll add the proper colour and flavour. Chewy or creamy caramel is pretty much the same thing, but depending on the recipe and consistency, it has added dairy products such as butter and/or cream. For the caramel apple and pear filling, I’ll be adding butter and cream so it’s richer in flavour.” Rachel says as she starts to measure sugar into a big pot again. Then she adds a little bit of water and puts the pot over the burner.

“Don’t you need more water than that?” Quinn asks, as she steps a bit closer.

“The water is only so that the sugar will melt evenly and not burn.” Rachel replies as she quickly measures butter and cream to have ready, always keeping an eye on the pot, and giving it a quick stir.

“If I were to make hard candy, I would have used a non-stick pot and the second everything is melted, I would remove it from the heat.” Rachel continues with her explanation as she switches the wooden spoon for a whisk.

“Is it supposed to turn that colour?” Quinn asks as the contents of the pan start to turn a light golden brown.

“Yup. It’s what gives caramel its distinct flavour and colour.” Rachel says. “See how it’s boiling now, and everything is this nice golden colour?” Rachel asks. “That’s when I know all the water has evaporated and all we have left here is pure sugar and the colour tells us that the melted sugar has caramelised. The deeper the colour is, the more distinct that caramel flavour is, but you also have to be careful not to burn it.” Rachel continues once she sees Quinn nod.

“Why did you turn the burner off? How do you know it’s ready? Don’t you need to taste it?” Quinn asks.

“This is really hot. Sugar boils at a much higher temperature than water, so I’d end up burning my tongue if I were to do a taste test. I know because of the scent and the colour of the liquid. Now, before it solidifies into hard candy, we whisk in the butter, and then the cream.” Rachel says as she does so quickly.

Quinn jumps back when she sees the foaming inside the pot. “Is it supposed to do that?” Quinn asks.

“Yes. It’s why you’re supposed to always use a deep pot in order to avoid the contents from boiling over.” Rachel says as she sets the pot aside and grabs a non-stick pan.

“Now what?” Quinn asks.

“Now, I make the rest of the filling and then I’ll start the crêpes.” Rachel says with a smile. “Could you please pass me the bowl with apple and pear slices?” She asks as she adds a small amount of butter in the pan.

“Isn’t that a bit too much butter?” Quinn asks as she passes the bowl over.

“Nope. The recipe actually calls for more, but I’ve managed to cut it down. I need to cook the fruit in high heat. The heat will prevent it from steaming and getting mushy, while the fat from the butter will aid in sugar not burning in the pan while giving it more flavour. This is why I asked if you had any dietary restrictions.” Rachel says. “If you’re really worried, you can always bypass this filling and go for the mixed berries one.” She adds.

“No way. This smells heavenly and there’s no way I won’t try at least one of each.” Quinn says with a horrified look.

“I take it you like to eat?” Rachel asks as she continues to cook.

“Love it. I’m glad I’m as physically active as I am and that after the pregnancy, I have a much healthier outlook when it comes to eating.” Quinn admits.

“I’m glad you do. A lot of athletes and performers have such issues with food and body image. I hope that when I make it big in the stage world, I won’t be one of them.” Rachel admits just as soft.

“Have you struggled with your body image?” Quinn asks surprised. Out of all the people she knows, Rachel would have been the last one she would imagine would have body image issues.

“I have. When I first started obsessing about Finn I thought that maybe if I was thinner and maybe didn’t have the nose I do, he’d pay attention to me. I tried to lose weight, but it was affecting my stamina and endurance for ballet, so I had to stop, or stop dancing.” Rachel admits as she lowers her gaze to stare at the pan with the apples and pears.

Quinn turns Rachel slightly around, and then tilts the brunette’s head up so they’re making eye contact. “Rach, listen to me. You don’t have to ever worry about the way you look. You’re amazing. That’s why I was so worried about losing Finn to you last year. You’re not only drop dead gorgeous, but you’re also genuinely nice. Too bad Finn and the rest of the sheep can’t get their heads out of their asses long enough to see what Puck has been able to, and what I finally allowed myself to see.” Quinn says as she tucks the same stubborn lock of hair behind Rachel’s ear.

“Thank you Quinn, but we both know that the one who is truly drop dead gorgeous is you.” Rachel says with a self-deprecating smile.

“No, Rach. I’m so sorry for the role I played in making you feel this way. You are wonderful, and I promise you that I’ll fix whatever it is that my stupidity broke.” Quinn says.

“I wish I could believe you. Other than my voice, I have nothing else.” Rachel says so softly that Quinn has to lean in to hear.

“You are so much more than your voice. One day you’ll believe me. Now, I believe you’re supposed to be showing me how to make this apple and pear filling for my crêpes.” Quinn says.

“Right. Not much to it. The hard part was making the caramel. We sauté the fruit and once we cook off the liquid, and the fruit takes on a colour that is to your satisfaction, we pour the caramel sauce. The amount depends on you. You can add enough to only coat the apple and pear slices, or you can drown them in caramel.” Rachel says with a smile, glad for the change of subject.

“How do you like it?” Quinn asks.

“Since I’m using this for filling, just enough caramel to give it flavour and coat each individual slice of fruit. If it’s too liquidy, then it makes the crêpes all soggy and yucky. I always set aside extra caramel to drizzle on top and for others to add once everything is assembled.” Rachel says as she grabs a spoon, scoops a little of the filling, blows on it, and when the temperature is no longer scorching hot, she offers Quinn a taste. “Open wide.” Rachel says softly.

Quinn quirks one of her eyebrows, but does as told. She can’t help the moan that escapes her mouth once the contents of the spoon hit her taste buds. “Oh my God! This is fantastic. This will be worth the extra laps and me bypassing dessert the next couple of days.” Quinn sighs contentedly.

The other three walk in the kitchen just as Rachel is giving Quinn a taste of whatever it is she’s cooking. Their jaws drop open because Rachel has never allowed anyone to taste anything without a fight while she is in the process of cooking a meal.

“Do you see what I’m seeing? I think I’m delirious due to lack of food.” Alex says, making their presence known.

“Uh, dude, if you’re hallucinating, then so am I.” Gabe says, still gaping. He jumps as Kelly pinches him in the butt. “Cut it out Kel. This is all your fault, and that is so not fair. How come you never let us taste anything?” Gabe whines.

“That’s because you guys always try to sneak in a taste when I explicitly ask you not to.” Rachel quips. “And it’s about time you made your way back in. Everything sorted out?” Rachel says, eyes burning into Kelly.

“Uh, yeah. Sorry for being such a bitch, Little Robin.” Kelly says, maintaining eye contact only through sheer will power. She cringes at the look she receives from Rachel.

Quinn does a double take. She has never seen Rachel look so scary before. She is sure that if Rachel walked around the halls of McKinley looking like that, no one would mess with her. She quickly places a hand on Rachel’s forearm, hoping to placate the irate girl. She’s about to say something when Kelly speaks again.

“Uh, what I mean to say is, Quinn, please accept my apologies. It was unfair of me to treat you in such a manner. I had no right to lash out at you the way I did, especially when you have done nothing against me.” Kelly says, swallowing her pride.

“Please don’t. You have all the right in the world to doubt my intentions. I’ve been an outright bi…” Quinn starts to say, but backtracks at the frantically shaking heads of the three college students. “…meanie to Rachel over the years.” She quickly amends, remembering how Rachel always whacks Puck upside the head whenever he swears too much and how the diva had visibly cringed when she or Kelly had used the word ‘bitch’ in previous conversations.

“No. We know better than to blindly make assumptions on people we haven’t met. I know we can be a bit overzealous when it comes to Rachel, but that is no excuse for being rude.” Alex cuts in before Kelly has the chance to shove both feet down her throat again.

“Thank you. I can guarantee you that I won’t willingly hurt Rachel anymore. We both have strong personalities, so I can’t promise that we won’t butt heads in the future. What I can promise is that I won’t purposely target her anymore.” Quinn says.

“I’m still in the room, you know.” Rachel says, brandishing the ever present wooden spoon again.

“Sorry.” They all chorus at her.

“Little Robin, I really am sorry. I should have trusted your judgement, and I’m not saying this to excuse my actions, but you’re a little too forgiving and I hate seeing you hurt.” Kelly says as she slowly makes her way closer to Rachel.

“I know. But it’s not the same as before. Now, since it’s your fault I had to delay our breakfast and I have a pot with hard candy stuck in it, you can clean it as I finish everything. Hopefully by the time I’m done, so will you.” Rachel says as she points to the sink.

“Are you serious?” Kelly whines.

“As a heart attack.” Rachel says as she pulls out a crêpe pan and turns on the burner again. She then grabs the bowl with the batter from before and starts assembling their breakfast.

The others laugh, but stop at the glare directed their way.

“What happen to Puck?” Alex asks, finally clueing in that the boy is missing.

“His mom had to go in to work at the last minute and they couldn’t find a babysitter on such short notice. It’s just Quinn joining us, and before you say anything, we’re taking one car over. If you don’t agree, then she and I will take my car and Quinn and I will meet you there. That’s non-negotiable.” Rachel says seriously, her tone of voice and her demeanour daring them to challenge her.

“Uh, that’s fine, Little Robin.” Gabe says quickly. “Just out of curiosity, why didn’t you say anything when we came up with the idea of Puck meeting us there?” He asks, genuinely curious.

“Noah brought up some interesting points. Neither Quinn nor I have been driving that long. He was worried that the freeways might be slightly more dangerous than normal due to the people going and returning from their Black Friday shopping. While I don’t doubt Quinn’s or my own skills as drivers, I can see his points.” Rachel answers.

“That actually makes a lot of sense.” Alex says agreeing with Puck’s assessment.

By the time Kelly is done cleaning the pot as punishment and Rachel is done assembling their breakfast, the five of them are talking as if they have known each other all their lives. It surprises all of them how easy it has been for them to get along. Soon, Rachel is calling her dads so they can join them for breakfast. The Berry men wisely decide to grab their food and retreat back to Leroy’s study, mumbling something about being too old.

“How do you know each other?” Quinn asks as she settles beside Rachel in the dining room table.

“We were neighbours before the Berrys moved here. We’ve known Rachel since they moved to the house beside ours when Rachel was barely three. Kelly and Rachel were inseparable growing up.” Alex says with a fond smile.

“Kelly, you’re only a freshman at Northwestern, how come I’ve never seen you at school? As a matter of fact, I don’t recall seeing any of you at school, not even when my sister was a student at McKinley.” Quinn asks curious.

“That’s because we never went to McKinley. We live in a different district. Had Rachel and her dads not moved, she would have attended high school with Kel.” Gabe says.

“Where did you go to school?” Quinn asks, not noticing how Kelly had tensed up.

“Carmel.” Alex answers.

“So, if Rachel’s dads hadn’t moved here, then she would have ended up in Vocal Adrenaline? Holy sh… kaka. That would have made you Jesse’s teammate and our competition.” Quinn says, wide-eyed.

“Yeah, though I’m not sure if that would have been the case, since we only managed be a serious Glee club after Mr. Ryerson was fired.” Rachel says.

Quinn drops her fork once she runs the timeline of everything she has learned and realisation hits her like a jumbo jet at full speed. She unconsciously shifts closer to Rachel as her eyes nearly pop out of her head.

“I see you figured it out. Yes, I was a student at Carmel while Jesse was there. We were actually teammates.” Kelly says, fighting hard to keep her temper and her tears in check.

“Kelly, please, whatever happened with Jesse wasn’t your fault.” Rachel says softly.

“Did you know about the egging?” Quinn asks in a tone of voice that would freeze molten steel in seconds, before anyone can say a thing. Everyone in the kitchen knows the Head Bitch in Charge is back with a vengeance.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My muse is finally cooperating so hopefully by the time I've posted what I've written & posted elsewhere I'll have caught up in time for the new chapter I'm writing.
> 
> This was self-edited and I tried my best to catch as many mistakes as possible while I was doing a cursory glance to refresh my memory. All mistakes are mine and mine alone.

* * *

Chapter 6

 

An uneasy silence envelops the dining room as Quinn and Kelly size each other up. It is so loud that Rachel thinks that whoever came up with the term ‘deafening silence’ must have experienced something similar, because what she has always thought of as one of the stupidest oxymorons ever has now become a reality.

The longer the silence stretches, the angrier Quinn seems to be getting. All the blonde can think about is how difficult is it to answer with a simple yes, or no, followed by an explanation.

Rachel tenses when she notices that Quinn’s eyes have taken a shade that is similar to the Pacific Ocean off the San Francisco coast right before a storm hits. It’s a shade she is familiar with at school. She has seen it when Quinn is in full Head Cheerio mode, or when Quinn punched Sam after he shoved her, or when she had Puck pin Karofsky to the locker after Rachel had gotten slushied. She can come up with hundreds of examples, but the conclusion is still the same. Her eyes only take that shade of green whenever Quinn is angry and/or out for blood. ‘How fitting, that her eyes take on such a colour, to warn the rest of us mortals that this is the calm before the storm’ Rachel thinks as she places a hand on Quinn, interrupting anything else the blonde might say or do.

Quinn jumps when she feels a hand on her forearm. Her stance softens the moment her eyes land on Rachel’s eyes.

Rachel can see the emotions roiling in those eyes, anger, guilt, and concern warring for dominance as Quinn visibly struggles for control. Unknown to Rachel, her own emotions are doing a same tell tale battle in her eyes.

Quinn knows she has no right to feel this angry, but she can’t help it. She takes another look at Rachel’s eyes and notices how the usual cinnamon swirl hue has shifted to an auburn tone. She is taken aback by the fear she sees in them. Probably fear of what she might do in her current state, and she immediately feels bad. Quinn’s first instinct is to calm those fears.

“I’m sorry Rach. I should’ve watched my tone of voice and attitude. I promise I’m not starting a fight, nor am I stirring sh… stuff up just for the hell of it. I’m trying to understand what happened.” She says in a much calmer voice. The last dregs of the coming storm dissipate and she almost smiles when she sees cinnamon swirls and golden flecks return to Rachel’s eyes.

Rachel nods, clearly relieved. The stormy green has faded to once again settle in the hazel with honeyed flecks Rachel has seen whenever Quinn is relaxed. Rachel wonders how she has never noticed how expressive Quinn’s eyes are.

Alex places a restraining hand over Kelly’s mouth while Gabe gets up, stands behind Kelly’s chair placing both hands firmly over her shoulders, effectively pinning her to the chair.

Quinn returns her gaze to Kelly and ignores what the others are doing. “If you knew and didn’t do a thing to stop it, then you sure as hell don’t have a right to be all…” she pauses as she thinks of the proper word to use to avoid cursing. “…rude and self-righteous to me. If you knew, then you and I are on the same boat. We’re both seeking forgiveness and redemption from our mistakes.” Quinn says. “I, uh, know you don’t like it when we curse, so I was looking for the right words.” She adds at Rachel’s quirked eyebrow.

Rachel can’t help the smile that graces her features at that admission. She quickly sobers up and turns her full attention back to the situation at hand. “Kel didn’t know. We’ll explain it to you just as soon as the others return to their seats and relax. I’m sure she’ll control her temper in the same manner you were able to. We’re all mature and intelligent enough to know that starting a shouting match won’t resolve anything and it’ll only make matters worse.” Rachel says with a pleading look directed at her childhood friends.

Alex and Gabe relax when they feel Kelly’s nod of assent and her body loosen up in a similar way Quinn’s had moments before.

*** * ***

Kelly’s eyes are focused on the hand that is still resting on the blonde’s forearm. She can’t deny the slight pang of disappointment she feels, because it seems as if Rachel has chosen Quinn over her. She knows she is being irrational. Out of all of them, Rachel is the only one who can even attempt to keep Quinn calm, leaving Alex and Gabe the task of keeping her at bay, their very solid hands on her mouth and shoulders serving only as confirmation. She finally feels herself nod once she hears Rachel’s indirect way of warning them to be civil. She composes herself further as Alex and Gabe reluctantly go back to their seats.

“Kelly, you were in the same team with him. How didn’t you know?” Quinn asks in a much calmer tone.

Rachel moves her gaze to the blonde’s eyes, and relaxes a little when she notices they are still hazel. “No Alex. That’s a valid question for anyone who doesn’t know the entire story.” Rachel says to Alex when she notices that he is about to say something in his sister’s defence.

“Quinn, for my peace of mind, I need to say a few things.” Rachel says gently, her hand still on Quinn’s forearm. Once again, she receives a nod of affirmation. “No one outside my family knows what you’re about to hear. I’m trusting you with something that is very private.” Rachel starts, she smiles when she sees the blonde nod again. “I’ll say this once, and then I’ll let the entire matter drop. If this is at all a plan for you to humiliate me, please stand up now and leave the kitchen. No. You agreed to let me finish.” Rachel says when she sees Quinn about to protest. “I’m not saying that to be mean, but I need to be sure. Remember, I asked you to give me time to adjust to this new side of you. This is me telling you that I’m not perfect. You know how difficult it is for me to admit to any faults. Even though my heart tells me you’re nothing but one hundred percent sincere, my rational side is still screaming at me to be careful. Our friendship is very new and I need to hear the reassurance and above all, I need to be honest. I need to be sure because I’ll be sharing some very personal information about me and my family.” Rachel says as she lifts her hand from Quinn’s arm and lifts it to softly caress the blonde’s cheek with the back of her fingers.

Quinn automatically leans into Rachel’s touch, something that doesn’t go unnoticed by the others. She then grabs Rachel’s hand and laces their fingers together. “Rach, I understand. You’re right to doubt my intentions because God knows I’ve given you more than enough reasons to. I’d be questioning your sanity if you were to just blindly trust me. I know that, but it’s still hard to hear you voice it. My initial impulse, like any person, is to defend myself. I will no longer hurt you on purpose. I can’t do that anymore, and most importantly, I don’t want to. There’ll be times I let my pride get the better of me, but please know that if I say or do anything that might hurt your feelings, they won’t be actions that are conscious.” Quinn says, her eyes never wavering from Rachel’s.

“I believe you. You know how we’ve talked about earning each other’s trust? In the end, trusting someone all the way is a leap of faith. No matter what, there isn’t a time where you can just say today is the day I’ll trust this person completely. So I’m taking my leap of faith. I trust you.” Rachel says with a soft smile. This time, she notices the golden flecks in Quinn’s eyes are more prominent, the sight only serves to reassure the diva.

Quinn nods and squeezes Rachel’s hand. “And I’ll do my best to do the same. I trust you too.” She says softly. Both girls then turn to Kelly and gesture for the older brunette to continue.

“At the time everything unfolded my priority was Rachel and her reaction at having found out about Shelby, especially after a conversation I overheard between Shelby and Schuester.” Kelly says, the memory causing her anger to spike, but she forces it down and continues with her story. “Schuester came to see Shelby and asked what her intentions were. She told him all she wanted was to get to know Rachel. I guess he didn’t like the answer because he told Shelby that if she wasn’t one hundred percent sure about being Rachel’s mom to walk away. He told her it was all or nothing. Schuester jumped into the situation without knowing all the facts. He tried to be all caring and shit. He said he was thinking about Rachel’s emotional wellbeing. When Shelby said she had Rachel’s best interests at heart, he told her that she sure as hell wasn’t Rachel’s mom and had no way of knowing what was best for her, because she happened to carry Rachel to term. That she was nothing more than a rented womb. He reminded her that her relationship with Rachel ended the moment she handed the baby over, signed away any and all parental rights, and received her payment. He told Shelby that reappearing the way she did in Rachel’s life was a detriment because she was happy with her dads. He never once considered what Rachel wanted or needed. By the end of his tirade, he planted enough doubts on Shelby that she ended up telling Rachel that they didn’t need each other. Damn it, she was ready to try and forge a friendship with Rachel. Shelby never started out saying she wanted to be Rachel’s mom and she never demanded Rachel treat her as such.” Kelly said while shaking her head.

Quinn’s eyes nearly bug out of her eyes. She had no idea of his involvement at all. She had assumed that whatever early bumps Rachel and Shelby encountered were the result of the awkwardness of meeting someone and wishing an instant relationship to develop. She had just assumed that Rachel had fallen victim yet again to the idea of a ‘happily ever after’ that was constantly drilled into them from everything from all sources of media. She had just thought it had taken Shelby time to explain how it wasn’t so simple. It never occurred to her or anyone else that something else had happened. “Why did Mr. Schue do such a thing?” Quinn finally manages to ask after she finds her voice.

“We don’t know. If you really wish to know, then you’re going to have to ask him that yourself. To this day, I can’t really look at him without wanting to punch him just so I can have the satisfaction of wiping that sorry excuse he calls a smile from his face. He had no right to say any of those things to Shelby. His arrogance and stupidity nearly cost Rachel her relationship with Shelby.

“I’m glad Rachel always had my mom in her life because hearing her biological mother say the things she did was horrible for her. It shattered her heart. Rachel knew that Shelby was never meant to keep her, but seeing Alex’s and my relationship with our mom wasn’t easy for her, regardless of how close she and our mom are, or how close she is with her dads. My mom and I spent the next few weeks reassuring her that she wasn’t unwanted and that there was nothing wrong with her. My mom went to talk to Shelby, and in the end, they managed to fix the clusterfuck that Schuester created.” Kelly says.

“Did you know Ms. Corcoran was Rachel’s birth mother right away? I mean, the resemblance between those two is uncanny.” Quinn asks, trying very hard to not jump to the wrong conclusion.

“Not right away. At first, I thought the resemblance was a weird coincidence. I suspected it when I started to see a lot of Rachel’s mannerisms in Shelby, or I should say; see Shelby’s mannerisms in Rachel. And as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t just go and ask my new vocal coach ‘by the way, did you serve as a surrogate for a gay couple nearly fourteen years ago?’ because the girl I consider my little sister looks, acts, and sounds like her. I only found out for sure during my senior year, when she approached me for help so that she could meet Rachel. Everyone at Carmel knew that Rachel and I were very close, and she got first hand evidence of it throughout the time she was with Carmel.” Kelly says.

“How did she find out Rachel is her daughter?” Quinn asks.

“Shelby joined Carmel’s staff in the middle of my freshman year. She really shaped up our Glee club. All of a sudden, we were winning our competitions, not just maybe finishing in the top five. By the end of my freshman year, Vocal Adrenaline had won its first National title. I joined because I heard how tough Shelby was as a choir director, and how competitive the members of Vocal Adrenaline were. I wanted to establish myself in the team so that by the time Rachel started as a freshman and auditioned, I’d be there to watch her back. I convinced Shelby to allow Rachel to attend our rehearsals. I knew Rachel wouldn’t be able to resist singing along. My plan was to show her what an amazing singer Rachel was even though she was much younger than any of us. And no, that’s not when Shelby found out. It never crossed our minds, not even when they were standing side by side. We were too focused on winning.” Kelly answers. “She was in awe when Rachel first sang along to something. I could see the others stare open mouthed. Some were amazed, while others were jealous. We all knew that when the time came, the auditioning process was going to be nothing more than a formality. That’s when Jesse first heard her, and I could see the wheels turn in his head. I thought nothing of it. Anyone who hears Rachel sing for the first time falls in love with her voice.” Kelly continues.

“I was so excited, because all of a sudden, the person responsible for the success behind Vocal Adrenaline was interested in me, and I wasn’t even a student at Carmel yet. I nearly self-combusted when I found out Shelby was also a Broadway veteran. She used a stage name, but I recognised her voice immediately. When I asked, she confirmed it only after swearing us to secrecy. Kel and I couldn’t stop talking about it. My dads never thought we were talking about my mom because when she agreed to be my surrogate, she used her middle name and I had kept her Broadway background a secret, just like she requested. Everything changed when Kelly had her first performance.” Rachel shares her part.

“Looking back, we should have known something was up. When I introduced Shelby to Leroy and Hiram, all three of them looked as if they had seen a ghost. Shelby nearly fainted on the spot and Hiram started hyperventilating. They barely exchanged a word when Shelby said something about the principal needing to see her and next thing we knew, she was gone. The relief Leroy and Hiram showed was physically palpable. Hiram’s eyes never left Shelby whenever she was in the auditorium.” Kelly says before she nods in Rachel’s direction once again.

“Suddenly, my voice and piano lessons were scheduled whenever Vocal Adrenaline had practice. The ballroom dancing I was pestering my dads about miraculously weren’t so insane anymore. Just as I was about to graduate middle school, I was informed about Dad’s transfer to Lima General so he could take the position of Chief of Emergency Medicine. I was told how it made a lot more sense to move because now both of them worked far enough that the commuting time was too long and they didn’t want to jeopardise my voice, piano, and dance lessons because they were afraid they wouldn’t make it home on time to drive me. I had no reason to doubt them. I was disappointed I wouldn’t be living next door to the Rileys anymore, but I figured I’d still see Kel every day at school since I was starting high school in the fall. Imagine my surprise when I found out we moved far enough that I was in a different district. I was disappointed I wasn’t going to be part of Vocal Adrenaline, but I figured I’d be part of my new school’s Glee Club. It wasn’t until much later that I found out Dad wasn’t offered the job. He went seeking for it so that we’d have a good reason to move.” Rachel says.

“Shelby was shocked and slightly upset when she found out, but I thought it was because she had lost Rachel as a singer. We would’ve been untouchable with Rachel and Jesse as our leads. In fact, most of the team was disappointed when they found out Rachel had moved and wasn’t going to be part of the team. I considered quitting Vocal Adrenaline since there was no real need for me to continue on the team, but I actually enjoyed the singing and the rush of adrenaline during a performance. I finally understood what Rachel meant when she would gush about the thrill of performing and the high she’d get when she had everyone’s attention on her. When Shelby kept asking me questions about Rachel, I figured she was interested because she was keeping an eye on the competition. We all knew that Rachel would join her new school’s glee club.

“Jesse and the others started to treat me differently. They were convinced I was passing information to Rachel, even though McKinley’s glee club never amounted to much until Rachel’s sophomore year. By the end of my junior year, I only had a few of my teammates trust me. A lot was kept from me. When senior year started and you guys won Sectionals, Jesse followed me and found out where Rach and I used to hang out. He took advantage of the days I had to work to approach Rachel. I never thought much of it. Rachel was happy and he seemed to really like her. When your teammates pressured her to break things off with him, Jesse transferred to McKinley in order to keep an eye on Rachel and to spy on you guys as a way to offset what he and the others thought I’d been feeding your way. When questioned, he pulled the whole ‘I’m doing it out for love’ routine. Shelby was so impressed by what you all managed to pull off that she wouldn’t stop talking about it. I guess my non-stop praising of Rachel’s hand in it didn’t help. For my former teammates, it confirmed I had been feeding you guys information. Shelby didn’t say anything because at the time she was happy to get the intel on the competition and on her daughter.

“Anyway, we knew Shelby had pulled some strings and Jesse was on his way to NYADA, Juilliard, or NYU so he didn’t have to win another National title. It made sense that he would follow his heart to be with his true love. I had no idea Jesse had been in touch with the others planning shit out. Once I found out about the TPing of your choir room, the performance at your auditorium, and Jesse’s transfer back to Carmel, I quit. I thought that was the end of it. Jesse and the others blamed Rachel. They were convinced Rach told me to quit. With my sudden absence, they had to rework a few things in the choreography and it meant more work. I later found out Jesse hatched the plan to egg Rachel as a way to make her pay. At the time, Rachel was still vegan. I should have known the arrogant bastard had less than good intentions. Instead, I fell for the entire ‘Romeo and Juliet’ bit he fed us.” Kelly says in a voice full of anger and regret.

“All that happened about the same time I found out about Shelby’s true identity.” Rachel says.

“Shelby wasn’t that surprised when I quit Vocal Adrenaline. She had noticed how the others were behaving around me, and we needed to be a team in order to win. I know it seemed like she didn’t give a flying rat’s ass when your choir room was TPed, but she was livid with them, especially with Jesse. She couldn’t do anything to him, because in the past, we had done similar things to psych out our competition. But, with me graduating and leaving for college, her priority was Rachel. With me gone, she would lose the only connection she had with Rachel. Shelby came clean and told me who she was. And just like that, her interest in Rachel made perfect sense. She wasn’t casing out the competition, she was trying to get to know her daughter.” Kelly says, and once again, she stops so that Rachel can share her side of the story.

“I had always told Kelly that one of my biggest dreams was to meet my birth mother. No matter how wonderful my dads and Christine had been to me, I was still obsessed with meeting my mom because I felt I was missing something. I always felt a little out of place, because most of my personality traits I inherited from Shelby and her side of the family. I didn’t know fate would put Kel in such a difficult position until much later. When Kel asked me why not just ask my dads, I told her my dads always discouraged it. They didn’t understand I needed something they couldn’t give me. I was searching for my identity. I needed to be like someone. I needed to know why I had certain quirks no one else in my known family did, and no matter how hard I tried to explain my feelings they didn’t get it. Things became quite tense for a while. I didn’t know about the clause that prohibited my mom from contacting me until I turned eighteen, and I tried on my own to find her. At the time, all I knew about her was that she’s a brunette and had a great voice, like me.” Rachel says before she defers back to Kelly.

Quinn automatically brings their still laced hands and places a soft kiss on Rachel’s knuckles when she hears the pain in Rachel’s voice. Then her attention shifts back to Kelly.

“I got very angry because Leroy and Hiram did the impossible to keep Rachel apart from Shelby. All the while knowing Rachel had always wanted to meet her biological mother. I asked Shelby why didn’t she just approach Rachel and introduce herself. That’s when I found about that clause in their contract. Knowing all the crap that Rachel was going through at McKinley, I saw the perfect chance to make something good happen for Rachel, so I agreed to help. I slipped a cassette Shelby had made when she was carrying Rachel in a box of Rachel’s baby stuff and made sure she would find it. I knew the moment Rachel heard the voice in that tape she would know.” Kelly says.

“I heard Shelby talking and singing to me and I knew. Spying on Vocal Adrenaline was only an excuse for me to approach my mom. We talked and we slowly started to know each other. We both knew and accepted there was no way we were going to recover sixteen years of limbo so we made the decision to become friends, let fate have a hand and hope for the best. I confronted my dads because their odd behaviour finally made sense. They were livid and threatened to sue my mom for breach of contract, but I told them it was all me and that it was my choice to seek her. I was so hurt because they knew I wanted to meet her, and here she was, right under my nose. In the end, they backed down and we went to family counselling to repair our relationship. I would have understood they felt insecure and that they were afraid of losing me. They didn’t need to do all that they did. The lying was what hurt the most.” Rachel says.

Quinn finally sees why Rachel was so hurt with everything that happened with Finn and Santana. It wasn’t the fact that Finn had lost his virginity to Santana. It was the fact that he had lied to her and had chosen to continue lying even after he had the chance to come clean.

“My world came crashing down when Mom out of the blue told me she wasn’t ready for a teenager and that in the end I didn’t need her because I had my dads and Christine. I was so confused and hurt because we had agreed that we weren’t going to go jump into a mother-daughter relationship right away. I had no idea why until after Kelly and Christine talked to Shelby and straightened everything out. Mom and I have gone to counselling together, and we’ve been working towards understanding each other better. It was actually my idea for her to adopt Elizabeth. We have our ups and downs, but we actually get along. We agreed from the very beginning that Elizabeth would know early on she’s adopted.” Rachel says.

Understanding hits Quinn like a tsunami. “That’s why I was given the option about it being an open adoption and why you’ve been adamant about talking about Beth and Ms. Corcoran since she was adopted. I’m so sorry Rach. I thought you were being nosy. It never occurred to me that you don’t want her to go through what you did. Thank you.” Quinn says as she pulls Rachel for a hug and she places a grateful kiss on the diva’s cheek.

Quinn’s lips and Rachel’s cheek tingle even after the brief contact ends.

“I told Shelby about the egging the moment I found out. The only reason Shelby didn’t quit as their choir director was because she was under contract and there was no way to get out of it. I was threatened with expulsion and legal repercussions if I were to do anything in retaliation. The principal did nothing when he found out, saying something about kids being competitive and getting carried away. He didn’t want to lose our outside sponsorship I guess. I couldn’t risk getting criminally charged because I couldn’t risk my scholarship to Northwestern.” Kelly finishes the story, clearly disgusted with herself.

“You did the right thing, Kel. I would have never forgiven myself had you done something stupid and jeopardised your future over some stupid high school prank.” Rachel says right away.

“It wasn’t a prank, Little Robin. They assaulted you. Those responsible should have gotten suspended and criminally charged. If I have a way to make all of them pay, I would.” Alex says, reminding the others that he and Gabe are still there.

“So they just got away with all the sh…kaka they pulled on Rachel?” Quinn asks, her eyes turning stormy green in a flash.

Rachel squeezes their joined hands and waits until Quinn’s eyes are on hers. “Calm down Quinn. It’s in the past. He can’t hurt me anymore. And he didn’t get away with it.” She says gently. She smiles when she can feel the blonde relax. “My mom made it clear that once her contract was up, she would never set foot in Carmel ever again. She withdrew her letters of recommendations to NYADA, NYU and Juilliard. She spoke to every contact she still has with those schools and other performing arts colleges in New York so anyone from Vocal Adrenaline that egged me graduating in 2010 would have faced a very uphill battle. She had Jesse blacklisted on Broadway and that in turn got him blacklisted for London’s West End. He is good, but he’s not exceptional, so no one will risk having him as part of an ensemble, let alone give him a lead in a production of anything. The closest he’ll ever get to Broadway will be as a spectator.” Rachel says with a hint of pride in her eyes.

“That’s all St. Ass… bastard got for what he did to you?” Quinn asks incredulous.

“Oh, it’s a huge deal. Jesse thinks that unless you’re a stage actor, you’re not worth your salt as a performer. He thinks media such as television and film are easy because they’re not done live. For people like him, it’s all live performances on stage, or nothing.” Rachel explains.

“I’m probably just showing my total ignorance, but can’t he get work in other places and still be on stage?” Quinn asks.

“Sure he can, but he’ll never get the recognition he needs and craves like air unless he makes it on Broadway, London’s West End or both.” Rachel answers. “Let me see if I can explain it so it makes sense.” Rachel adds once she sees the still confused look on Quinn’s face.

“At most, all Jesse can aspire for is to be part of a show’s touring production. He could audition for roles in other cities and maybe other English speaking countries. Unless my mom all of sudden decides to be nice, or in many years, when her influence dies down, he’ll never be able to perform where it matters. You only get the important awards when you’re performing on Broadway or The West End. For egomaniacs like Jesse and myself, not being able to do so is by far a lot worse than say, get the snot beaten out of or getting a slushie facial. He can go into Hollywood if he wishes, and hope that if he makes it big, then he can do the crossover to live theatre. He would have to start from scratch. He doesn’t have anyone to open doors for him. In terms of punishment, that is by far a lot more satisfying than what the school principal or any other school official could come up with. A suspension or detention would last at most a few weeks. This will last years.” Rachel says with a shrug. It scares her a bit that she feels absolutely no sympathy for him.

“She has that much influence? How come she was teaching high school and coaching a show choir then?” Quinn asks perplexed.

“The stage world is a pretty small community. My mom was considered Broadway royalty, in fact, she still is. She was Maureen in the original Broadway cast for Rent. She was also on the original Broadway cast for Wicked, as Elphaba. She reprised that role on The West End when Rent made the debut in London. She was part of the Chess concert in England with Josh Groban and a host of other famous performers. She reprised the role of Maureen for the movie version of Rent as well. She was one of the producers for Spring Awakenings when it had its run off and on Broadway. I’m surprised no one recognised her. Anyway, she burnt out, so she decided to take some time off. She got bored so she got the job at Carmel to groom the next generation of performers. Her original plan was to take a year’s sabbatical to regroup and then return to the entertainment world. She only stuck around because of me.” Rachel answers with a fond smile.

“Why Carmel? Why not stay in New York?” Quinn asks.

“My mom graduated from Carmel.” Rachel answers.

“This will probably still paint me as the cold-hearted… (she pauses again to think of a proper replacement, when the perfect word hits her like a bolt of lightning. She nearly pats herself on the back, literally) _bitca_ I’m trying to outgrow, but I’m happy he’ll suffer long term for what he did. I still wish someone could have beaten the kaka out of him though.” Quinn says. “What? She asks with a quirked eyebrow at their confused looks. “I never denied I’m a mean _bitca_.” She adds with a shrug.

“You’re a what!?” Rachel asks perplexed.

“You did not just ask me that.” Quinn exclaims, eyes opening wide. When she’s met with the same wide-eyed and confused faces on the others, she sighs. “You’re serious? You really don’t have a clue?” She asks for confirmation.

“I wouldn’t have asked otherwise.” Rachel replies.

“None of you know? Really?” Quinn asks.

She is met with blinking eyes.

“Wow. This is unreal. It’s a word taken from an episode from the second season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Quinn says as if that explains everything. She wants to scream when she is met with blank stares again. “In it, Willow, one of the main characters is describing Buffy’s ah, behaviour that is similar to mine at school. Anyway, Willow doesn’t like to swear, so she resorts to spelling the word out, you know, b-i-t-c-h and Xander, another main character blurts out _bitca_? Since then, a lot of people use it as a substitute.” Quinn explains, still unable to believe no one there other than her, knows a **_Buffy_** reference. “None of you have watched Buffy?” Quinn asks again.

“Not really. It’s hard to take a show that originally aired when I was a toddler with the name ‘Buffy’ seriously.” Rachel admits.

“That’s like one of the best TV shows ever. It’s a true classic. The writing is fantastic, not to mention how females are written as intelligent, independent beings. The one-liners are priceless. There is even a musical episode, and one that was done in near silence, with dialogue only towards the very end. We so have to have Buffy marathon.” Quinn says excited.

“Bitca… That’s quite clever.” Rachel says giggling.

“So, this Xander is an idiot like Troll Boy?” Gabe asks with a smirk and a light chuckle.

“Really, because to get bitca from b-i-t-c-h is really stretching the boundaries of being a complete and utter moron.” Alex says shaking his head. “At least he’s a fictional character.” He adds with a smirk.

“Xander might not be the brightest crayon in the box, but he’s sweet and a good guy, unlike Finn, who is a selfish imbecile that makes a mannequin seem like a Mensa candidate.” Quinn says with a sneer. She still can’t believe she dated him.

“Finn isn’t that bad. He’s mostly distracted and…” Rachel starts to say, only to be cut off by Quinn.

“Rach, how can you even say that with a straight face? This is the same boy who only yesterday thought hippo is a shortened version of hypocrite. Or that hippopotamus and hypothalamus were the same words five seconds after hearing you say the former.” Quinn says with an incredulous face. “You’re way too nice and forgiving.” She says with a shake of her head.

“What is she talking about?” Gabe asks scrunching his eyebrows together.

“You didn’t tell them what happened in the hallway?” Quinn asks surprised. For a split second, she thinks Rachel is trying to protect Finn because of her still-there feelings for the imbecile. Then she remembers how Rachel has never once insulted anyone, even if they deserve it.

“I did, but I might have left some of the more irrelevant information out.” Rachel answers.

Quinn recounts the missing parts when she receives raised eyebrows and a ‘what are we missing?’ from Alex. When she is done, the three college students are laughing so hard, they are struggling for breath.

“Please tell me you were exaggerating.” Kelly finally manages to ask.

“Sadly enough, no. Quinn basically quoted everything that was exchanged almost verbatim.” Rachel says, unable to keep her own giggling in check.

The others laugh harder.

“Little Robin, I can’t believe you left the best part of the story out.” Alex manages to wheeze out.

“I told you the important parts.” Rachel replies, though instead of looking at Alex, her eyes fall on Quinn.

“I’m sorry Kelly. I had no right to jump and be all judgmental on you. You’ve known Rachel since she was a toddler. I should have known you’d have her best interest at heart. I allowed my guilt and need for redemption cloud my judgement. Even back then, I hated what St. Moron did to her.” Quinn says to Kelly. “And Rach don’t give me that look. I’m toning the names down because you’d hate what’s running through my mind.” She adds after she notices Rachel’s raised eyebrows.

“I understand guilt all too clearly. Anyone who doesn’t know the entire story thinks I knew about it because we were in the same team for over a year and a half. I should have seen it coming. I should have been there to stop it from happening.” Kelly says, seeing for the first time that she and Quinn aren’t really that different.

“Kel, you’re not a mind reader. There was no way for you to know he had ulterior motives. I should have known, but I was too flattered by his words. I caught glimpses of his true personality from time to time. I chose to justify them in order to live a fairytale. I should have known that a popular and well liked boy would never pay attention to someone like me unless there are ulterior motives present. I lost my head for a while, and reached for things that weren’t meant for me. That was all me.” Rachel says as she finally releases Quinn’s hand so she can go and give her childhood friend a hug.

Rachel’s words only serve to make the others feel even worse. Kelly keeps thinking that no matter what, she should have known better, but part of her was also fooled by the nice words and act. Quinn once again feels the size of a microbe. She knows the two years of name calling and put downs played a huge role in systematically destroying Rachel’s self-image. Alex and Gabe clench their fists and shake their heads. They hate the way Rachel has changed over the years. Seeing and hearing those words, they understand Kelly’s need to lash out at Quinn, but they also see the shame and guilt swim in those hazel eyes. They can see plain as daylight that it’s not just about guilt and redemption. They can see Quinn truly likes Rachel.

Rachel makes her way back to Quinn’s side and sits facing the blonde Cheerio. “Quinn, we’ve talked about this. We both have a couple of years of unpleasant history to overcome. I know I’m repeating myself and it’s something I’m working on, but I need you to understand, so please bear with me. I know I was hesitant at first, and a very small part of me still is, but I trust you. We both need to put the past behind and concentrate on the present and the future. I’m not saying start with a blank slate because you’re right. It isn’t possible. But, we can certainly learn from our past. I appreciate your protectiveness on my behalf. You and I have been friends for a grand total of five days and you’ve already done so much more for me than anyone else at McKinley, with the exception of Noah, and that’s only because he and I have been friends longer. Thank you.” Rachel says as she wraps her arms around a stunned Quinn. She places a soft kiss on her cheek before she straightens her chair and faces the table and her half-eaten plate of crêpes. The same tingling feeling is there.

Quinn gets off her chair and kneels down beside Rachel. “Rach, look at me, please.” She says as she takes one of the brunette’s hands in both of hers. “As grateful as I am, I don’t deserve that leap of faith and your trust, at least not yet. I’ll show you that it’s not misplaced. We had it all wrong. The rest of the sheep and I picked on you because we thought you were weak. Instead, you’re one of the strongest people I know. You don’t let people like me dictate who you are and how you carry yourself. I’m so very sorry for my role in making you believe that at any point, you’re less than insensitive egomaniacs like St. Bastard, pea-sized brain blockheads like Finn and the rest of the jocks, jealous and spiteful teammates like Mercedes who wish to have even a tenth of your talent, or insecure girls such as Santana and me. You are without a doubt so much better than we can ever aspire to be. Don’t give us that kind of power over you. St. Douche Bag was the lucky one. Finn was the lucky one. Puck and I certainly are very fortunate that you decided to throw caution to the wind and give us another chance. So this is me saying thank you for being such an exceptional and wonderful human being. Thank you for looking past my mistakes and opening yourself to me when I don’t deserve any of it. I’m hoping that one day I will. I’ll show you with actions and not just words that I’ll earn that trust you so easily have given me. You should only think you deserve nothing but the best.” Quinn says before she brushes her lips gently on the back of Rachel’s hand. Her eyes automatically turn to look at their hands, unable to keep their eye contact any longer.

Rachel feels her eyes fill with happy tears. She blinks a few times hoping to keep them from falling. When she finally opens her eyes again, she brings her free hand and brushes the back of the knuckles down Quinn’s cheek to end by her chin. She uses her index finger and thumb to tilt the blonde’s head upward slightly so they’re now looking at each other. Rachel is mesmerised by Quinn’s eyes. They are the shade of honey with emerald flecks near the irises. She opens her mouth to say something, anything, but all Rachel can do is stare and open and close her mouth.

The other three feel like they’re intruding. It is at that moment that any lingering doubt they might have held on to about Quinn’s sincerity are gone. Not once did Quinn ever try to justify or dismiss her past actions, especially when she realised her actions have played a big role in Rachel’s shattered self-image.

“I think this is the first time in thirteen years and change that I’ve ever seen Rachel speechless.” Gabe says hoping to bring some levity back.

His words seem to break whatever bubble the girls find themselves in. For a brief moment Quinn had forgotten the others were there, and once she’s reminded, she ducks her head, releases Rachel’s hand, and makes her way back to the chair, blushing a gentle pink.

“I’m sorry our breakfast got cold. I can make a fresh batch if you all wish.” Rachel says softly, switching to a more neutral topic, her eyes lingering on Quinn a bit longer before she turns to face the other three.

“Are you crazy? All we need is a bit of ice cream and we’re set. Those who want something warm can pop their dishes in the microwave and nuke them.” Gabe says already standing up and heading to the kitchen.

“Gabe, who ever heard of ice cream for breakfast?” Rachel calls out to him.

“Tons of people who will never admit it. I even brought you your crazy coconut-milk frozen thingy so you won’t feel so bad about eating so many animal products.” Gabe says as he returns to the table with a few containers of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream, along with Rachel’s non-dairy selection. “This breakfast feels more like dessert anyway. The only thing missing was either some whipped cream or ice cream, which I have now provided. Everything is perfect now.” He adds with a silly grin.

“Just go with it, Little Robin. We need to make our way to Columbus and it’s getting late. You know how it gets once we’re there.” Alex says, already grabbing the container with chocolate ice cream.

“Fine.” Rachel says relenting. Soon, she’s grabbing the container of her non-dairy dessert.

“Wow, Rach. Even cold, this is fantastic.” Quinn says once she swallows. “I think I’m going to conveniently be doing homework here on days my mom has to work late.” Quinn adds with a sheepish smile.

Rachel blushes and looks at her plate.

Quinn can’t help but think how adorable Rachel looks like that.

“Or I can go to your place to do said homework there, and make sure you and your mom have a healthy, balanced meal on those days.” Rachel says, blushing to the tip of her toes. She has no idea what possessed her to say that, and she certainly can’t believe she blurted those words out.

Quinn smiles brightly at that. Her blush isn’t far behind.

The others look at each other with raised eyebrows. Since when is Rachel shy about compliments or for the chance to show off her skills?

Quinn feels three pairs of eyes travelling back and forth between Rachel and herself. “Why do you guys call Rachel ‘Little Robin’? Quinn asks as a way to shift scrutiny to someone other than herself. The fact that she’ll learn more about Rachel is an added bonus.

“Robins are one of the few species of birds in which the females sing just as wonderful, if not more so than the males. Rachel is tiny and cute, with a voice that can shame angels. The conclusion was an easy one to make.” Alex says.

“How do you know that?” Quinn asks.

“Our mom is a vet. She’s the one who started calling Rachel ‘Little Robin’ first.” Alex answers.

Conversation is kept light as they finish their meal. When they are done, Rachel and Quinn are ushered to the breakfast counter while the other three clean up.

“I scrubbed that pot with the stuck hard candy. I should be sitting on my ass with the other two.” Kelly grumbles as she once again is saddled with the pots and pans.

“That was your fault. Don’t gripe. It’s not like we’re telling you to wash everything by hand. Gabe already scraped off as much stuff off of them when he put the leftovers aside.” Alex says as he wets a washcloth and wrings the excess water out, before he makes his way to the dining room table.

“Yeah, you mean he put away what he couldn’t finish eating?” Kelly asks as she loads the dishwasher.

“What? I’m a growing boy.” Gabe says once he pushes the refrigerator door shut and joins Rachel and Quinn.

“Sideways, perhaps” Kelly quips as she nails him with a wet sponge.

“Don’t start anything. We might not be expected at a specific hour, but we don’t want to make it there too late.” Alex says before those two can start anything.

Gabe and Kelly open their mouths to protest, but one look in Rachel’s direction and they lower their heads with a pout.

Quinn can’t help the fit of giggles at the sight of the two college students completely deflating at the sight of Rachel sitting with her back straight, her arms crossed over her chest and a ‘don’t you dare, or I’ll make you sorry if you do’ look on her face. She swears the others at school would be cowering in fear if they were met with that look.

“Quinn, do you have a curfew?” Rachel asks, causing Quinn to stop laughing.

“Yeah, I need to make it home by eleven.” Quinn answers. “If there isn’t enough time, just drop me home first.” She adds in a subdued tone.

“Don’t be silly. We leave now, and we’ll have you back with plenty of time to spare. The other two are nearly done cleaning and everything we need is already there.” Rachel says with a shake of her head.

Within minutes, they are in Alex’s car on the way to Columbus. Alex and Gabe take up the front, with the three girls in the backseat.

“I get to pick the music.” Rachel says as she pulls out her iPod.

“We should put it to a vote, or take turns or something.” Gabe says. “What do you think, Quinn?” He asks.

Quinn looks like someone just dropped a pitcher of ice-cold water on her. Lucky for her, Rachel jumps right away.

“I’m vetoing anything that contradicts my suggestions. I’m the one squished in the middle, so by default, I get to choose the music. It’s my reward for not making any of you sit here.” Rachel says, starting to pout.

Quinn, at this point would agree to just about anything Rachel suggests. One, Rachel looks absolutely adorable. And two, even though the other three have warmed up considerably to her, she is still grateful there is a buffer between her and the others.

Gabe groans loudly, while Alex rolls his eyes and Kelly smirks.

“Little Robin, you’re the only one who can sit in that spot and not end up like pretzel. Any one of us would have to be a contortionist in order to fit there and not go numb in five minutes.” Gabe whines. It’s not that he doesn’t like Rachel’s music. It’s the principle of putting a fight so it doesn’t appear as if they’re always giving in to whatever Rachel wants.

“It’s not my fault most fuel efficient cars weren’t designed with giants in mind.” Rachel says grinning. This is one of the times she is happy she is so petite.

“Give it up dude. You know that even if she was riding shotgun, she’d be picking the music. I don’t see what the big deal is. You like her music.” Alex says with a chuckle.

“Give me your iPod before you hurt yourself, Little Robin.” Gabe says when he notices Rachel trying to reach over the centre console to hunt for the cable. At this point, if Rachel did ask to ride shotgun, he’d agree just to stop the progression from full pout to trembling lower lip and big, innocent eyes.

Rachel smiles triumphantly as she shoves her iPod in his hands. “Just to be fair, I’ll let you choose the playlist.” Rachel says in an almost contrite way.

“Great example of that resistance and immunity to Rachel’s pout you were talking about, Gabe.” Kelly says smirking.

“You’re one to say something. You’re worse than me.” Gabe mumbles.

“That might be the case, but unlike you I never claimed otherwise. I know I take one look at that cute little pout, and I find myself nearly unable to say no to her.” Kelly says, sticking her tongue out at him.

Quinn watches the exchange amused. She has to agree with Kelly’s assessment. She has seen this pout once, and had Rachel turned to her and asked her to sit all squished up in the middle, she would have been powerless to say no.

“Will you stop talking about me as if I’m not sitting in the same car with you? I don’t pout. You normally give in to me because after hearing my amazing arguments, you can’t help but agree with me.” Rachel says, her pout more pronounced.

They all do their best to stifle their laughter.

Quinn thinks that if Rachel were to act like that in school, she would have everyone doing her bidding. She can’t help the smile as she looks at the diva.

Rachel returns the smiles and leans her head on Quinn’s shoulders.

Quinn’s first instinct is to shift her arm so that she would end up hugging Rachel to her and shift her enough that the diva would be resting her head near the crook of her neck and chest. She settles for grabbing the diva’s hand and lacing their fingers together.

“I don’t get what the big fuss was about listening to Rachel’s iPod.” Quinn says when she hears a nice mixture of rock classics mixed in with some artists she hasn’t heard before. There hasn’t been a single show tune.

“That’s because Gabe was being a snot. He knows I have impeccable taste in music.” Rachel says, unconsciously playing with Quinn’s fingers.

Traffic is nearly non-existent, and they make it to their destination in under two hours. Quinn realises they’re at a small café called ‘The Mocha Espresso’. In next to no time, they are inside and setting up instruments after a quick greeting and introduction to the barista and a few of the servers.

“Alex and Gabe were never in Glee. They preferred playing in a band for fun. This was one of their regular venues. When the band broke up, I started playing and singing with them for extra practice. I’ve been coming here every weekend since I was about thirteen. When Alex and Gabe started college, it changed to whenever they’re back.” Rachel explains as she starts to walk to the back room.

“Where are we going and how come they’re not coming with us?” Quinn asks when she notices the boys are staying put, making sure the guitar and bass are tuned while they catch up with the staff and a few of the regulars. Kelly is already perched on the counter with a drink of some sort.

“I’m going to warm up. You’re more than welcome to join me, or you can stay and chat with the others. I figure you’d be more comfortable with me, but I won’t be offended or hurt if you decide listening to my warm up exercises is too boring. I apologise for not asking your preference first.” Rachel says with a smile.

“I don’t find them boring. I think I’m going to hang out with you instead, and let them catch up. I like it when we hang out.” Quinn replies.

Rachel’s smile could power the eastern seaboard for a year with its intensity.

After about half an hour, Rachel joins the others on the makeshift stage while Quinn sits on a table right in front of the stage at the owner’s insistence.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have some of your patrons sitting on such a prime location?” Quinn asks Ethan, one of the baristas and the owner of the café. “I can easily sit on the side, or towards the counter area.” She adds as she gestures her hand in the general vicinity of those areas.

“This is their table. It would be empty otherwise.” Ethan says with a wink.

“You know, since you did the warm ups with me, you’re more than welcomed to join us.” Rachel says gesturing to the stage area as she puts a pair of ear plugs on.

“Maybe next time. I have no clue what you’ll be singing, and I’m not as good at improvising as you are.” Quinn says blushing. “Why are you plugging your ears?” Quinn asks once she notices.

“That’s sheer nonsense, but I won’t push. Feel free to order whatever you want, and if you have any requests, let me know.” Rachel says as she plays a few notes on the piano, warming her fingers in the process. “We’re pretty close to the amps and speakers. Even though we won’t be blasting our sound, I’ve been doing this for nearly four years. If I don’t protect my ears, I’d compromise my hearing, and with it, my perfect pitch.” Rachel answers.

“I never thought of that.” Quinn says, feeling slightly dumb. “What if I request something you don’t know?” Quinn asks.

“Ha! That’d be the day, someone requesting a song that Rachel Berry doesn’t know. Even if that’s the case, if you have the patience to wait a few minutes, Rachel would just go to my office and listen to the song on my computer while she finds and prints the lyrics to it. Unless you want a clone of the song, she’s great at winging it.” Ethan answers before anyone else can.

“I had no idea, but I’m beginning to see.” Quinn says with a smile.

“You’re in glee together, and you don’t know this?” Marcie, one of the servers asks perplexed.

“We normally don’t get to improvise. Our choir director decides on everything beforehand. I’m usually too busy with other things to hang around much after practice. Not to mention Quinn’s busy schedule with her own extra-curricular activities.” Rachel says diplomatically.

Quinn smiles gratefully at Rachel.

“Well then, prepare to be wowed.” Marcie says as she sets Quinn’s coffee order in front of her.

Rachel, Gabe, Alex, and Kelly sing for the next couple of hours with a break here and there. They cover anything from well known songs to some obscure songs some of the patrons wish to hear. Just like Ethan had said, Rachel has no problem fulfilling the requests. The one time she wasn’t familiar with a song, Rachel and the others excused themselves long enough to use Ethan’s office to figure things out, and Rachel would then interpret the song as best she could.

Quinn has listened to Rachel sing many times, and even when they weren’t in the best of terms, she has always thought Rachel Berry is a very good and talented vocalist. Listening to Rachel sing completely relaxed, without the pressure of their teammates and other choirs, the girl is spellbinding. Rachel’s voice is rich and sends shivers through her entire body, and no matter what song they interpret, her voice blends in with the other three and the result is truly awe inspiring.

They finish their last song of the day amid a sea of protests from staff and patrons alike. During the time they started singing and now, the little café has filled to capacity and most of the patrons are on their feet, not that they seem to care. Quinn knows that she’d happily stand if it means listening to Rachel sing completely unguarded. If Rachel returns to Glee, she’ll fight tooth and nail to make sure her suggestions are carried out and listened to.

When everything is put away, they find themselves enjoying a quiet dinner, courtesy of Ethan.

“Mind if I go through your iPod?” Quinn asks curious while they have dessert.

“Sure. It’s just music, you know?” Rachel replies with a shrug as she hands her iPod to the blonde.

“I know, but it’ll give me another hint of who Rachel Berry is.” Quinn says as she starts to scroll through the seemingly endless supply of music. It’s organised in different playlists. Every song she’s seen so far has the correct album cover art. There seem to be playlists for every situation with just about every genre of music under the sun. Then something strikes Quinn as odd. They all see the blonde’s eyebrows scrunch together in confusion.

“Rach, why is there so much instrumental music?” Quinn asks perplexed. About fifty percent of it is instrumental.

Rachel listening to different genres of music that aren’t show tunes isn’t as strange as some might think. There are songs in a few different languages, but again, that can be chalked up to curiosity over different cultures. Even opera is explainable, because it has vocals in it and some of the arias she has listened to are beautiful. Rachel listening to new age, ambient music, classical and musical scores for movies? That’s plain strange.

Before Rachel can answer, Alex, Kelly and Gabe burst out in loud laughter, causing said diva to turn a bright red. Quinn looks on, still confused, but even more curious than before.

“I, uh, the thing is… You know… I like music and…” Rachel starts to say, blushing an even darker and brighter red only to be interrupted by Gabe.

“What Rachel is trying to say in a less than eloquent way is that when she is listening to something with lyrics, she can’t stop singing, like ever. She’s addicted to music so if she wants to ever get anything done; she has to listen to music without lyrics.” Gabe starts his explanation. “I’m impressed. You seem to be able to render our diva speechless with a few words.” Gabe adds with a grin.

“But then, why not just turn off the music?” Quinn asks. Judging by the expressions on those around her, she knows she just pulled a blonde move. “Never mind. Stupid question. I’m a natural blonde. I’m allowed to have a blonde moment every once in a while.” Quinn adds with a self-deprecating smile, causing the others to laugh.

“Rachel loves everything and anything about music, and she truly enjoys most musical genres. Short of composing her own songs, there isn’t really anything that Rachel can’t do.” Alex says with a smile. “And that’s only because she hasn’t really tried to compose her own music yet.” He adds.

“Rachel is always looking for something different so she can be as diverse as possible. If she listens to a song she likes, regardless of the genre, she’ll have it arranged to suit her style and her voice. Or, she’ll try to experiment with the genre just so can she can expand her musical repertoire.” Kelly says with a fond smile on her face now.

“You listened to the different songs we interpreted here. Out of the ones you recognised, how many of them sounded like the original works?” Alex asks.

“None really. They were all very unique. These versions were amazing.” Quinn admits.

“That’s all Rachel’s doing. We’ll offer suggestions, but in the end, she is the one who picks a song apart and distributes the parts accordingly. She also makes sure our parts are done in a key we can maintain without hurting ourselves. Had Schuester listened to even a fraction of Rachel’s ideas and suggestions, you guys would have definitely won Regionals last year and qualified for Nationals. You would have had a good chance to win Nationals on your first try. I saw a recording of your performance during Sectionals this year, and even without Rachel singing the solos, had you guys let Rachel work the arrangements and adapted it to suit your individual strengths, you would have taken first place without having to share it with The Warblers.” Alex says.

The other two readily agree, and after seeing Rachel perform, Quinn is convinced Alex is right. It certainly explains how Rachel was able to put together the numbers that saved and won them Sectionals a year ago. Part of her wants to make sure the others can see Rachel like this, and part of her wishes to keep it a secret, because she is almost sure that they would take advantage of the diva and still treat her like shit. She can’t help the frown and the flash of anger that flitters across her face before she can squash it down.

The others leave the girls alone while they go talk to the staff of the café.

“Quinn, everything okay?” Rachel asks concerned. Everything had been great up until Alex mentioned Schuester and New Directions, even if he did it in such a flattering way to her.

“Yeah. Sorry. I hate how they treat you. But let’s not dwell on that. I didn’t mean to put a damper on.” Quinn says softly. “How did all these people know you were going to be here? Within a few songs, the place was packed.” Quinn says, changing the subject.

Rachel decides to drop it for now, but with a look, she lets Quinn know they’ll discuss things eventually. “The guys e-mail Ethan with their school break schedule so he can post it on the café’s website. On days we’re scheduled to come, Alex texts Ethan letting him know when we leave Lima. One of us will text if traffic is an issue on our way here. Ethan puts an update on his website with our ETA. The regulars know the routine well. By the time we sing the first song, the place usually fills up.” Rachel answers.

“Why do you do this?” Quinn asks.

“We enjoy singing, and it’s a cool way for us to de-stress from school obligations. It also gives Rachel experience performing in front of people in something other than a competition.” Gabe explains.

“I never pass up the opportunity to perform. It’s great practice, and I get to work on my creativity. I get to sing without having to fight or argue with anyone, and to people who appreciate my voice. I don’t have to worry about proving myself to anyone. It’s not about winning a competition. I get to have fun. I don’t have to hear Santana’s insults, or Mercedes’ cheap shots at my voice and attitude. I don’t have to listen to their laughter whenever someone thinks of a new way to insult me. I don’t have to see how the boy who was supposed to be my boyfriend laughs along with the others instead of defending me. I don’t have to put up with seeing how a teacher who is supposed to be impartial and look after all students equally can easily turn his head around as if he is deaf and blind all of a sudden when I’m being bullied. Yet, this same teacher will have no problem ripping the bully a new one if they’re picking on someone who isn’t me.” Rachel answers.

“Even after your speech to them, it’s still hard to believe you’ve been aware of Mr. Schue’s attitude.” Quinn says in a whisper.

“It’s rather hard to miss, when I’m being called selfish by a teacher because I’m reacting to how others treat me, while he defends everyone else.” Rachel says with a shrug of her shoulder, too used to how things are at McKinley.

“I had a big part in how others treat you.” Quinn says after swallowing a lump.

“It’s not your fault Quinn. You’re not responsible for their actions. You might have incited some of it, but in the end, they make their own choices. You decided to stop. That’s enough for me to move on.” Rachel adds when she sees that Quinn is about to start another apology.

“I didn’t just decide to stop. It took Puck’s words for me to finally open my eyes. I might have decided to be a better person after Beth, but I was still very much a coward because I cared too much what others thought of me.” Quinn counters, looking thoroughly ashamed.

“Regardless of the fact that Noah might have spurred on the change, in the end, it was still your decision alone to do something. You all listened to what Noah had to say, but aside from you and Brittany, you don’t see the others doing anything other than continue their less than acceptable behaviour towards me. No matter how much you disagree with how they treat me, it isn’t your apology to make. We are all responsible for our own actions.” Rachel says.

“You really are something else.” Quinn says shaking her head. “I’ll drop it for now, because we’ll never agree, but one day I will deserve your forgiveness.” She adds as she places her hand on Rachel’s shoulder and squeezes gently.

“Maybe that’ll be the day you’ll be able to forgive yourself.” Rachel says gently.

*** * ***

They leave with a promise to return once Alex and the others return for their Christmas break. Rachel hopes that next time, she can convince Quinn to join her on stage for at least a couple of songs.

The drive back is spent discussing likes and dislikes. Rachel and Quinn also make arrangements to hang out Sunday. When Rachel asks Quinn to join her and Puck, she politely declines, citing that things might be on the mend between them, but it still feels very awkward to hang out. Rachel doesn’t push. At least they can be in the same room together now, acknowledge each other’s presence, and not flinch in pain while trying to ignore each other’s existence.

“See, we made it back with plenty of time to spare.” Rachel says as Alex pulls into the Fabrays’ driveway.

“Thanks for a great day, including me, and for giving me a chance.” Quinn says to the three college students.

“I’ll walk you to your door.” Rachel says softly.

“Call me so we can finalise our plans for Sunday.” Quinn says once they reach the front door. She pulls Rachel for a hug and places a soft peck on Rachel’s cheek. It’s become a lot easier to be physically affectionate with Rachel and not feel self-conscious about it.

“I will. Good night Quinn, and sleep well.” Rachel says as Quinn reluctantly pulls apart to open the door end enter her house.

 

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- I apologise for the long delay. I'm trying to make sure what I post here is synced with what I've posted on other sites. I sort of got distracted and fell behind.  
> \- This, like everything else I work on is self-edited. So any mistakes are mine and mine alone.

* * *

Chapter 7

Rachel wakes up bright and early and instead of going for a run, she opts for time on her elliptical. After her morning routine is taken care of, she sends a text letting Puck know to have his sister ready so they can go grab breakfast on their way to drop her off to temple and Hebrew class. She smiles when both Puckerman siblings are waiting for her by the curb.

“Good morning Noah. Good morning Abby. I hope you didn’t have to wait in the cold too long.” Rachel says the moment she puts her car in ‘park’, lowers the passenger side window and shuts off the engine. She knows it’ll take at least five minutes for them to get settled in the car, and there’s no way she’ll let her car spew fumes out longer than strictly necessary.

“Hi Rachel. And no, we didn’t have to wait at all. We just got out of the house, so don’t listen if Noah starts to complaint about the cold. He’s sore ‘cause we’re taking your cute car instead of his ugly truck.” Abby says with a grin.

Puck shoots her a dirty look as he walks to the car mumbling something or other about how being in such a car will damage his reputation. He opens the passenger car door and quickly moves the seat forward so his sister can slide in the back. Abby does, but she sneaks a quick hug to Rachel before she gets situated and puts her seatbelt on.

“Hey.” Puck says as he gets situated in the Mini. “Where are we going for breakfast?” He asks as he shoves the seat as far back as it’ll go.

“I was thinking we can go to ‘The Pastry Box’ and enjoy some fresh, out of the oven baked goods with a smoothie and perhaps some coffee.” Rachel says as she tries to stifle a giggle at the sight of Puck inside her car.

The effort Rachel is making to keep from giggling only serves to set off his sister and they spend the next few minutes or so giggling. Well, the two girls are in any case, while the lone boy sits there with his arms crossed looking miffed.

“It’s not that funny.” Puck mumbles when Rachel manages to calm herself.

“Yes, it is. Be glad I’m not cruel enough to snap a picture, although I’m sure Quinn will get a kick out of it. In fact…” Rachel says as she makes like she’s going to grab her phone hooked to the charger/hands free dock in the center console of her car.

“Don’t you dare!” Puck says with wide eyes.

Rachel looks at him and laughs. “Of course I won’t, but your face and reaction alone were worth mentioning it. I’m not like that.” Rachel says with a smirk.

“Aww Rachel, you shoulda, and then you shoulda e-mail it to me so I could show Mom.” Abby whines when she realises it’s not going to happen. It would have been such a great blackmail photo to have in her possession. She keeps quiet about the last part because she’s sure Rachel would lecture her about it.

“How about next time we take my car somewhere we make sure we tell your mom so she can see it for herself? Maybe she’ll beat us and snap a photograph faster than either one of us can.” Rachel answers with a wink. “Any objections to our breakfast destination?” Rachel asks as she prepares to turn the ignition on.

“No, since you’re not the one cooking, ‘The Pastry Box’ is the next best option.” Abby answers before Puck can say anything.

“I still can’t believe you managed to convince me to ride in this sardine can. I hope no one’s out this early on a Saturday morning.” Puck mumbles as they make their way through town.

“Stop being such a baby, Noah.” Rachel starts to say, but stops herself. She doesn’t want Abby to hear how her older brother allows himself to be influenced by peer pressure when they’re trying very hard to teach the young girl to be strong enough to say no to such outside pressure.

“Yeah, it’s not our fault you’re shaped like a gorilla and have a hard time fitting in this really cute car.” Abby says as she leans slightly forward.

Rachel giggles but says nothing. She is convinced no one will see them, since it’s barely eight a.m. and most if not all ‘cool’ teenagers are still passed out from a night of partying. The only reason Puck isn’t one of them is because he spent the entirety of Friday watching over his little sister.

Once they arrive and decide on what to get, there is a slight argument over who is going to pay, but Rachel settles it with a well placed ‘it was my idea to come here’. Breakfast conversation is monopolised by Abby as she recounts in excruciating details (much to Puck’s dismay) everything they did. Puck definitely thinks Rachel’s propensity for speaking is rubbing off on his sister. He smiles at the thought. He can’t imagine a better role model and good influence on his sister.

“How come I have to go to temple and get stuck in Hebrew classes while you guys get to hang out and have fun?” Abby asks as they’re finishing their meal.

Puck sighs at that because he spent a good part of Friday trying to field the question. When his answers weren’t good enough, he flat out ignored it. He shouldn’t be surprised Abby brought it up again.

Rachel hears and sees the frustration on Puck’s face so she knows the answer will be up to her. She thinks carefully about what to say because she doesn’t want to undermine what their mother wants, while at the same time, she doesn’t want to appear as a hypocrite by spouting what the little girl needs to hear. She looks at her watch to make sure they’ll have enough time for this.

“Sweetie, you’re going to have to ask your mom when she’s not as busy or as tired.” Rachel finally says.

“You’re avoiding the question just like Puck did last night.” Abby says with a small scowl.

“I’m not. Noah and I can’t answer this properly because we’re not your parents, nor are we the ones responsible for raising you. That’s your mom’s job. We’re here to assist in any way we can. We’re following her instructions. It’s not fair of you to put us in such a situation.” Rachel answers firmly.

Abby is about to complain, but one look at Rachel’s determined face and she swallows hard. “I’m sorry Rachel.” She manages to squeak out. “It’s just not fair ‘cause I barely get to spend time with you.” She adds with a pout.

“Apology accepted. You need to realise that no matter what we do while we help your mom, ultimately it is she who makes all the decisions concerning you. I know that for us, it’s difficult to see the logic of our parents’ decisions, but they do make sense in the long run.” Rachel says.

“It won’t get easier once I get to be your age, will it?” Abby asks. She knows her mom and her brother often get into arguments about what is best for him.

Rachel thinks a bit before deciding on being honest. “Not really, in fact, I’m sure you’ve seen and heard some of the arguments your mom has had with your brother. When we’re met with a decision we don’t like, we’ll rebel against it and try to change things to our advantage. Keep in mind that they’re human too, and are bound to make mistakes, but for the most part, parents know what they’re doing.” Rachel says in a gentler tone. She scoots her chair closer to the corner of the table and drapes an arm over the younger brunette’s shoulders.

Puck watches mesmerised. No wonder his mother and sister adore Rachel so much. “Come on Squirt. We need to get going. Time’s running short.” He says getting up.

The drive to the synagogue is filled with their singing over whatever Rachel is playing out of her iPod.

“Have a great day, Abby. Your mom will come to join you for temple. Remember to save any heavy questions until after she has a chance to rest. She’s been working since yesterday morning.” Rachel says they walk her to the side entrance of the synagogue.

“Thanks, Rachel. I will. I still wish I could spend the day with you and Puck.” Abby answers.

“Be good Squirt. We’ll see you soon. Be good to Mom when she comes.” Puck says once they get to the door leading to the room where the Hebrew lessons are held. “Listen to Mrs. Silverman and don’t get in too much trouble. Mom texted me to let me know that she’ll be here way before your class is done.” He adds as he ruffles the top of her head.

“I will, and of course I won’t. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. They keep a close eye on me because I’m your sister.” She says as she swats his hand away from her head.

Rachel laughs at those words. She quickly ducks her head to avoid eye contact with the instructor because she doesn’t feel like getting into an argument about her perceived lack of faith.

They quickly make their way back to the car and back to Puck’s place. Once there, Rachel puts a few containers of julienned vegetables, chicken strips and Portobello mushrooms in the fridge, before they make a beeline to his room. They’re grinning like little kids in a candy store without adult supervision.

“How did it go yesterday? It’s so lame that I couldn’t make it. I considered sneaking the squirt to join you guys, but my mom would’ve busted my balls if and when she found out because for whatever reason, she always finds out about shit like that.” Puck says with a resigned sigh as he sets up the game console. He feels really lucky because of all the people he hangs out with; Rachel is the only one who appreciates the classics.

“Must you be so crude?” Rachel asks as she reaches over and whacks him upside the head.

“What the hell was that for? You’re supposed to be all anti-violence and be all peace loving. Keep it up and I’ll let the entire school know Rachel Berry is just another teen who’s prone to violence.” Puck grumbles while he runs his hand over the spot Rachel had hit.

“I am a peace-loving young woman who just happens to hate crass and unimaginative language. It takes a lot more creativity to insult someone without uttering a single crass word than it is to swear up a blue streak.” Rachel says. “Besides, do you really want the rest of the school know that you let me, of all people beat you up?” She asks with a shrug and a playful glint in her eyes.

“Whatever. I’m not crass. I’m a badass.” Puck says. “Hey! That rhymed.” He adds with a chuckle. “Besides, if word got around you of all people managed to beat me up, then maybe assholes (he says this as he leans back against his headboard, making sure the back of his head is out of reach) like Karofsky and Azimio will leave you alone.” Puck says, only to be slapped on his stomach. He frowns as he grabs one of the controllers and starts the game.

“Will you at least make an effort? You and I have been friends for a few months and you don’t try at all.” Rachel says, knowing it’s a losing battle. She can’t help the smile that appears on her face as she remembers Quinn’s effort to watch her language around her. “And why do you get to play Mario again?” Rachel asks.

“Whatever. It’s part of my charm, and you know it. You still haven’t answered my question. And I get to play Mario because he’s the shit, just like me.” Puck says as he manoeuvres Mario along the maze of things as he tries to clear the first section in their quest to rescue the seven regions in the Mushroom World from Bowser and his children. “You know, I love the Wii and all the new graphics for the Mario game are kick ass, but nothing beats Super Mario Bros. 3.” Puck says with a huge grin.

“Actually, it just makes you look and sound like an uneducated slob. Besides, just admit that you want to go first because the first sub-world is easier and you’re afraid I’m going to kick your rear.” Rachel says sticking out her tongue. “As for our outing, considering Quinn’s and Kelly’s hot tempers, it went surprisingly well. After a bit of a dicey start, things improved and went along smoothly. Alex, but especially Gabe, were absolute sweethearts. Who knew that their dislike for Finn would end up being the much needed common ground for them to bond?” Rachel says with a shake of her head and a goofy smile.

“That’s all it took? Well, at least when it’s time for us to hang out, we’ll have that in common as well.” Puck adds once he manages to grab the ‘extra life’ mushroom.

“You like Finn. You’ve been trying to save your friendship with him for a while now. Don’t let his less than intelligent actions ruin that effort. I know you miss your best friend.” Rachel says softly, her eyes wavering between the TV screen and Puck’s face.

“Don’t you get it Rach? You’re my best friend. You’ve been loyal to me when I haven’t deserved it. Douche bag blew his chances with how he’s been treating you. You’ve been nothing but wonderful to him and he’s treated you like shit for as long as he’s known you. That shit doesn’t fly well with me, especially when you were dating. Not to mention all you’ve done for my mom and the Squirt while I was in juvie.” Puck says. “Fuck!” He exclaims as Mario accidentally gets hit by a ricocheting turtle shell.

“Ha! That’s what you get with your potty mouth. Now, watch how a true master clears the way, and eventually defeat Bowser.” Rachel says as she grabs her controller to guide Luigi through the stage Puck failed to clear with Mario. “Too bad we can’t save this game on this old console.” Rachel adds as she points to Puck’s original NES.

“That’s the beauty of it. You have to own the game or the game owns you. Not the pussy-footing around we can get away with the new systems and games ‘cause we can save our progress.” Puck says, glad Rachel is distracted with the game, thus unable to smack him for swearing.

“I’m keeping count, Noah. I’ll get you when least expect it. I might wait until my turn is over or I might pause in mid-game. I can wait until we break for lunch.” Rachel says as she navigates Luigi through the obstacles expertly.

Puck shifts slightly away from Rachel and makes sure that any pillows within reach are moved as well. Rachel smirks when she notices.

“Why do you care so much if I swear or not? I mean, it’s nothing new, so why bother?” Puck asks curious. He can’t shake the feeling that his mom and grandmother have nearly given up on him. Sometimes, he gets the feeling all they hope is that he won’t end up in actual jail. At least his juvie record will be wiped and/or sealed when he turns eighteen.

Rachel pauses the game and makes sure she has his full attention. “You’re Abby’s only male influence. Your father left when she was a baby, so she never knew him. Everything of the male perspective, she’s learning from you. Her ideals and examples on how the men in her life should behave around her and treat her, she’s learning from her interactions with you and you interaction with other women. How she behaves around others, she picks up from observing you and your mom. Do you really want her to pick up all your bad habits? I know you’re more than the image you portray because you show me the real person behind the mask. Do you want her to settle for the ‘badass’ man you wish to portray to the rest of the world because that’s all she sees as a male role model? When you speak in such a way, it makes you sound and appear as if you’re an uneducated hick. Is that what you want Abby to settle for?” Rachel asks.

“Well, when you put it that way, I kinda see your point. Maybe everyone else is right, and I’m nothing but a Lima Loser.” Puck says in a low voice. It never occurred to him that his actions would have a direct effect on his little sister. For the first time ever, he is glad Shelby adopted Beth, because he can’t imagine his little girl looking up to someone like him.

Rachel sees the play of emotions in his eyes and wraps her arms around his neck. “Noah, you’re a good man, but like most teenagers, you’re caught up in the image game. I love the man you are with me. Show that side to Abby, and she’ll have a great male role model to look up to.” Rachel says, separating long enough so she can look into his eyes.

“You’re the only one who sees me like that.” Puck mumbles into her hair as he pulls her close to his chest, not wanting Rachel to see the tears that are threatening to spill.

“No, I’m not. Abby has you up on a pedestal. She thinks you’re the best ever. She told me she doesn’t need to know your father because she has you.” Rachel says into his chest, trying her best to spare his pride. She can hear the tears in his voice.

“Thank you Princess. I’ll watch it around the squirt.” Puck says. “Now come on, the game isn’t going to beat itself.” He adds.

Rachel smiles and reaches over to peck him on the cheek before she grabs her controller again and continues to move Luigi around expertly.

“Why you dumped Finnocence?” Puck asks as he picks up his controller once Rachel is done.

“I finally saw how he’s been treating me, and even though I still feel something for him, I love myself too much to allow him to continue treating me so poorly. I deserve more than what he’s been offering me.” Rachel answers.

“If he ever changes, will you go back to him?” Puck asks, already disliking the idea. In his eyes, Rachel has given Finn one too many chances.

“I don’t know. I’m slowly beginning to see that no matter what, we’ve been so toxic to each other. I hardly recognise who I am anymore, and that’s all because I’ve devoted the past year or so chasing after Finn, Jesse, and Finn again. I don’t like whom I am when I’m with him. I want to like myself again. He told me that if I really loved him, I wouldn’t force him to change and give up things he likes. Yet, he never gave me the same courtesy.” Rachel says, surprising herself and Puck in the process.

“Good. You deserve so much better than what that douche will ever be able to give you. He’d only hold you back and down.” Puck says as he clears another stage on their way to the airship of their current kingdom. “Ha! Record time! This, my beautiful Jewish American Princess is how to own the game.” He brags.

“You know, considering the fact that it’s your console, and your game, I don’t think it’s that impressive. I only play this game when we hang out here, so that should really show who ‘owns’ the game, huh?” Rachel points out as she picks up her controller to face the following stage.

“You suck.” Puck says as he crosses his arms over his chest.

Rachel smirks and sticks out her tongue at him before she moves Luigi to the next final stage of their current world.

“So, my Baby Mama was nice to you the entire day? She didn’t like lose her shit and snap at you?” Puck asks after a few moments of silence with nothing more than the music from the game in the background.

Rachel pauses the game, reaches over, and whacks him in his upper arm, hard.

“Oww! That hurt.” Puck whines, rubbing the now tender area.

“Good. Will you please stop referring to Quinn like that? She hates it and it objectifies her.” Rachel says as she unpauses the game and continues to play.

“Why do you care? It’s not like I’m doing that to you.” Puck asks. “Please don’t hit me again. I didn’t mean anything bad by it.” He adds once he sees the flash of anger in Rachel’s usually calm and placid face.

Rachel sighs and pauses the game again. She sets the controller down and turns the TV off for a bit.

“What are you doing?” Puck asks perplexed. “I thought you wanted to beat the game today.” He adds.

“I do, but I need you to pay attention to me without getting distracted by what’s on the TV screen. Look at me Noah.” Rachel says. She smiles when the boy does so and gives the diva his undivided attention.

“Would you want someone to treat Abby like that? Do you want some boy in the future objectifying her and treating her as nothing more than another notch in his bedpost? Because that’s how you’re treating Quinn. That’s the idea I get whenever you refer to her as you so crudely put it, your ‘Baby Mama’. Do you have any idea how hard it must have been for her to let go of Elizabeth and then have you remind her of it each and every time you call her that?” Rachel asks, feeling anger that her friend could be so dense.

“It’s been hard for me as well, yet you don’t see her making an effort to understand my feelings. Quinn almost seems happy she gave Beth away. We could have been able to give her a good life.” Puck says sadly.

“You didn’t just say what I think you did. Do you have any idea how hard it must have been for her? She didn’t want to get pregnant. She only did because you were too stupid to use a condom. She carried that little girl for nine months. Your interaction with that baby was only secondary. She had no choice. She bonded with her and then she went through hours of labour. What kind of life do you think the two of you could have provided her? Your job is seasonal at best. Your mom works very hard to make sure the three of you have what it takes to lead a comfortable existence. Where do you think the baby would be while you and Quinn are in school? Or were you thinking of quitting school to work full time? If so, what kind of job do you think a high school drop-out could get that would provide enough to sustain three lives? Or were you expecting your mom and Mrs. Fabray to pitch in indefinitely?” Rachel says, trying hard to control her temper. She can’t believe how angry she’s getting on Quinn’s behalf.

“I… how do you know what Quinn’s going through? How do you know that’s how she felt? She never talks about this shit, and you girls have been friends for a few days.” Puck says. “What has she told you?” Puck asks.

“She hasn’t. I’m observant, and I’m guessing from what Shelby told me. Granted, their situations were completely different, but Shelby still managed to bond with me while she was pregnant. I know how much it hurts Quinn and I won’t ever bring that up unless she does it first.” Rachel says.

“But you talk about this shit with me.” Puck says. “What’s the difference?” He asks.

Rachel shoots him a glare at his constant swearing, but decides to let it go for now. “I don’t bring it up. You do. Have you noticed that in the time we’ve been friends, I’ve never brought Elizabeth up? That you’re the one who does it each and every time?” Rachel asks.

Puck thinks for a bit. “What about today?” He finally asks.

“I only brought her up because of how insensitive you’ve been to Quinn. I can see the pain she tries to keep to herself each and every time you call her that.” Rachel says.

“Quinn is lucky to have you as a friend. She better not fuck this up.” Puck says shaking his head. “I’m lucky to have you as my friend.” He adds slowly, before Rachel hits him in the face with a pillow.

“What did you guys do in Columbus?” Puck asks. “And I see your point. I’ll do my best to watch it from now on.” He adds at the raised eyebrow Rachel sends his way.

“That’s all I’m asking. You and I know that Quinn isn’t the unfeeling and cold-hearted Head Cheerio she appears to be. Just like you’re not a Lima Loser.” Rachel says.

“And you’re not the self-centred diva everyone mistakes you for.” Puck adds.

“We went to this café and sang for a bit…” Rachel tells Puck all about their activities at ‘The Mocha Espresso’, effectively ignoring the last bit he said about her.

“Figures I’d miss a kick ass outing. Maybe I should’ve risked my mom’s wrath and snuck out with the Squirt after all.” Puck whines.

“Noah! That’s a horrible example to set for Abby. Besides, I don’t see why you can’t join us when Alex and the others return for Christmas break.” Rachel says.

Puck goes on to whine about the very boring day he spent with his sister as they continue to move on the worlds of ‘Super Mario Bros. 3’.

Hours later, after nearly beating the game, they hear the front door open and close, announcing the return of the two Puckerman women. Rachel smiles when she hears the tell-tale sign of stomping up the stairs and the subsequent slamming of the half-open door against the wall as Abby comes charging in and tackling Rachel in a bear hug. The diva manages to pause her game just in time.

“Rach! I’m so glad you’re still here. Please tell me you’re staying for lunch so we get to hang out as well.” Abby says in a rush.

“Squirt! What the he…ck have I said about barging in without knocking first? And you might want to let go of Rachel before you kill her.” Puck says as puts his controller down and moves the console away from Abigail, afraid she might accidentally disconnect it and lose all the progress Rachel and he have managed.

“But the door was kinda open.” Abby says, still not letting go of Rachel completely, although her hold loosens up considerably.

Puck is about to retort in his usual way, but Rachel beats him to the punch.

“Abby, do you like if Noah or your mom barge in to your room without knocking first? If you expect that sort of privacy from your brother, you have to give it to him first.” Rachel says gently.

“But the door was kinda open.” Abby repeats, but stops at the look Rachel gives her.

“Does that mean that if your bedroom door is open anyone can just waltz in without asking you first?” Rachel asks.

“Well no.” Abby mumbles. “Sorry Puck. I didn’t mean to barge in like this.” She says sheepishly.

“Don’t sweat it, Squirt. Make sure it doesn’t happen again is all. Especially when my door is closed all the way.” Puck says ruffling her hair.

“Hey! Knock it off dumbass, or I’ll tell Mom.” Abby says as she reaches and smacks him in the arm.

“Abigail Deborah Puckerman! Watch your language, young lady. Just because your brother usually speaks like a drunken sailor doesn’t mean you have to as well.” Rachel says in a stern voice.

The young girl immediately sits up straight and looks back between Rachel and Puck. “I’m sorry. It sorta slipped out.” She says in a contrite voice.

“I get it, but don’t let it happen again. I hear that kind of vocabulary all the time, and yet, you don’t see me speaking like that.” Rachel says as she pulls the young girl in her arms. Abby melts into Rachel’s embrace, sighing happily. “Why don’t you go down and help your mom with lunch? I’m sure she’ll appreciate the help after working so hard the night before.” Rachel adds after she places a kiss on top of her head.

“But Mom said it was okay for me to come up. And it’s not fair that Puck got to spend all morning with you while I got stuck at Hebrew class and temple.” Abby whines.

“Please Abby. I’m helping Noah put things away. I’ll be down when we’re done to give you ladies a hand.” Rachel says firmly.

“Okay.” Abby says, and she runs out and down the stairs to the kitchen to join her mother.

Rachel gets up and closes the door before she sits down on Puck’s bed with a sigh.

“I know, but you gotta admit, she’s probably heard worse from TV, movies and kids from school.” Puck says lifting his hands in defeat.

“You’re probably correct, but it doesn’t mean she has to hear such words from you. It doesn’t mean she has to learn bad habits from you.” Rachel counters in serious tone.

“I know. I’m man enough to admit that it was kinda creepy hearing Abby say ‘dumbass’. I’ll watch my mouth around the Squirt.” Puck admits. “And you! Geez, no need to get violent.” He adds when Rachel throws another pillow in his face.

“Come on. Keep the game paused so we can help your mom with lunch.” Rachel says.

“Oh my God! What is the world coming to? Rachel Berry wants to leave an electronic device on without caring about the strain on the environment?” Puck says in mock surprise.

“Fine. Turn it off then. That only means we’ll have to redo everything again.” Rachel dares him.

“I wasn’t really saying we should. I’m just kinda surprised ‘cause this is kinda reckless for you. I feel like I’m influencing you in a bad way.” Puck says, backtracking a bit.

“No, you’re correct. What was I thinking? We shouldn’t be wasting electricity the way we are. After all, this device was made before the energy compliant technology came about. In the end, it’s only a game, not a life and death situation.” Rachel bluffs as she reaches over with her finger to the power button of the NES.

“No! We’ve worked very hard to get where we are! Can’t you take a joke?” Puck says with a horrified face. This is the farthest they have gotten since he managed to get his hand on the console and the game cartridges.

“Gotcha! And you say I can’t bluff.” Rachel says with a gleam of mischief in her eyes as she opens the door and all but runs down the stairs to the kitchen.

Puck stares at the empty space that was just occupied by Rachel mere seconds ago, blinking a few times.

“Good afternoon Mrs. Puckerman. Did you have a good shift at work?” Rachel asks as she joins the Puckerman women.

“Rachel, dear, it’s Susan. Work was work. You know, the usual.” Susan answers as she grabs the containers Rachel brought out of the fridge and sets them on the countertop. “Abby, get the salad ready.” She adds as she walks towards Rachel and hugs the diva.

“Can I help with anything?” Rachel asks as she returns the hug.

“Sit and relax. You’ve done more than enough by getting everything ready. You didn’t have to, but I really appreciate the help. I was afraid I was going to have to reheat another pre-packaged meal. Thank you so much.” Susan says sincerely as she guides the diva towards the table.

“I don’t mind at all. It’s the least I could do for allowing me to spend the day with Noah doing nothing productive.” Rachel replies, blushing slightly.

Susan smiles when Puck enters the kitchen shortly after and greets her with a kiss. Her eyes then shift to Abby, who is diligently washing the greens for the salad they’ll have with lunch. She loves the positive influence Rachel has had on her children.

“What are we having for lunch?” Abby asks as she sets the salad spinner down.

“Noah, your mom and you will have chicken wraps. I’ll have Portobello mushroom ones.” Rachel says as she gets up to help.

Abby eyes the vegetables, chicken and the salad greens and frowns. “Why do we have to have salad if there’s already so many veggies for the wraps?” She asks making a face.

“Because vegetables are good for you.” Susan answers in typical parent fashion.

“You won’t even know there will be extra vegetables once I’m done with them.” Rachel adds with a wink as she ties an extra apron on. “Mrs. P… I mean, Susan, sit and relax. I’ve got this.” She adds as she guides her to the table.

“Rachel, no. You’ve already done so much…” Susan starts to protest, but she’s cut off quickly.

“Noah and I have been doing nothing more than goof around playing video games. We haven’t been doing anything productive all day. You, on the other hand, pulled an overnight shift. And, I love cooking.” Rachel counters. She avoids any mention of going to temple, because she is tired of always having to defend her current views on organized religion.

“I’ve been in Hebrew class all morning. That counts as hard work. I should be sitting and relaxing with…” Abby starts to say, but her protest dies with the look Susan is shooting her way. “Never mind.” She mumbles as she continues with the salad preparation.

Rachel laughs and shakes her head. “Want to know a secret Abby?” She asks the younger brunette with another wink. “If you ask any of my friends, or my dads, they’ll tell you that when I’m in the kitchen at home I won’t let anyone help me with anything. I’m not kicking you out because you’re very special.” Rachel says once she sees the girl nod.

Abby beams at those words. “Really?” She asks looking at Puck for confirmation.

“Yup. Once I was there for breakfast, and she actually smacked me upside the head with a spatula when I tried to help.” Puck says as he unconsciously brings his hand to the nape of his neck.

“I didn’t even hit you that hard. And sure, you were helping me eat the food before it was ready.” Rachel says with a small giggle. “You can make yourself useful by setting up the table and getting our drinks ready.” She adds.

Puck raises and eyebrow, but does as told. Susan and Abby do a double take because Puck is helping without protesting.

Lunch proceeds without any incident and all four of them are joking around, with Susan telling embarrassing stories about both her children. She insists on showing Rachel yet again, the albums of baby pictures while Puck and Abby take care of the dirty dishes.

“Let’s get cracking, because I don’t have that much time left.” Rachel says as they return to Puck’s room to resume their game.

“You’re not staying the rest of the day? Why? What’s going on? I thought we were hanging and stuff.” Puck says slightly shocked. He was under the impression Rachel was spending the entire day with him.

“I need to finish my homework before I’m off to spend the night at the Rileys’. Kel and the others return to their respective colleges first thing tomorrow morning. After they leave, I’m off to spend the day with Quinn.” Rachel answers as she reaches for the controller and resumes where she left off earlier.

“You’re hanging with Quinn again? What are you guys doing?” Puck asks.

“We haven’t gotten that far into our plans yet. All I know is that I’ll be heading over in time for brunch.” Rachel replies as she manoeuvres Luigi expertly. “See? That’s how a true master of the game does it. In record time and finding all the extra 1-up mushrooms and all the extra things that make Luigi better.” Rachel says with a smug smile as she sets the controller down.

Puck’s face falls when he doesn’t get an invitation to join them. He’s glad Rachel is distracted by the TV because he doesn’t want Rachel to know he’s jealous of the girls’ deepening friendship. It had taken Rachel a lot more time to even begin to somewhat believe he wasn’t setting her up for something.

“Next time, we play using only Mario.” Puck grumbles as he picks his controller. “So this thing with my Ba… I mean Quinn is for real? She’s being good to you?” He adds as casually as he can.

“We keep things as is next time we play. I’ve done my research. When we use both characters, we get to unlock things, so in the long run is better. You just don’t like being beaten by a superior player. And for the umpteenth time, yes, Noah. Quinn is being sincere. I don’t know why you doubt her so much when she’s been nothing but nice to me since she accepted my friendship and offered me hers.” Rachel answers, beginning to get frustrated.

“I’m making sure. It’s too sudden after all the crap she’s put you through before and she never wanted to be friends when you tried.” Puck starts to say, but he stops at the glare directed his way, causing Mario to die yet again.

“That’s not fair Noah. The same could be said about our friendship. In fact, you gave me my first slushie facial by my second day at McKinley, before I even had a chance to interact with Quinn or anyone else.” Rachel says, disappointment and anger clear in her voice. She makes no move to grab her controller.

“I thought you forgave me for that crap.” Puck mumbles, avoiding all eye contact. He knows that first slushie started the ball rolling.

“I have. You brought Quinn’s past as a reason why she shouldn’t be trusted. That’s a very hypocritical thing to do because you’re not innocent either. I’ve forgiven her the same way I’ve forgiven you. Please drop it, and stop questioning my judgement. Quinn is a good person. She just happened to lose herself in a similar way you did. You should be happy that your words had the desired effect and Quinn is making amends. You should have seen her when she found out Kelly and Jesse were teammates at one point. I thought she was going to kill Kel on the spot.” Rachel says, unable to keep the silly grin on her face at the memory of how protective Quinn was.

“Excuse me? Did that Kelly chick egg you as well? Why the fu…dge didn’t she stop him from hurting you? Why didn’t you tell me this before?” Puck asks, forgetting the game momentarily, thus resulting in Mario’s untimely death again. The “Why do you trust Quinn more than you trust me?” is clear in his eyes even if he doesn’t say it out loud.

Rachel frowns as Puck tries his best to look indifferent. “To be honest, the subject never came up before. We never discuss the past that much, for obvious reasons. Quinn was curious about how I met Kelly and the others so she asked. You’ve never asked how I met the Rileys or Gabe. Through our answers, she figured out the timeline of events.” Rachel says, and eventually tells Puck the basic information, without going into details. She chalks it up as not wanting to relive the whole thing again by talking about it so soon. The truth is, she doesn’t feel comfortable with more people knowing about her private life. “Let me reiterate that Kelly had no idea Jesse did any of the things he did, which means she was never a part of the plans. She would have stopped them had she known.” Rachel adds when she sees Puck’s skeptical face.

“How can you be so sure? They were teammates.” Puck asks getting more agitated, unable to let go of the matter.

“I don’t really owe you any explanations about my personal life, but I’ll do so just to give you a bit perspective about my friendship with the Rileys. I’ve known Kelly since I was three years old. We’ve been friends ever since. She never ditched me, not when it wasn’t cool to hang out with a kid two years her junior and not when I started McKinley. And as I said just minutes before, Jesse and the others were sure she was a spy for me, especially when Kelly refused to tell them anything about New Directions and me. They kept her out of the loop, and at the time, she was helping me deal with the whole Shelby situation. Allow me to draw a parallel here. Up until a few hours before we were due to compete, I had no idea Finn had lied to me. You, along with the rest of my teammates kept that knowledge from me. So you see, it is possible to keep things from a teammate, whatever the reasons might be.” Rachel says slowly.

Puck lowers his head in shame.

“I trust Kelly with my life, Noah, so I’d appreciate it greatly if this isn’t brought up when you meet them.” Rachel adds, when their eyes meet again.

“Okay. I’ll trust you. It helps that they looked like they were ready to rip Schuester’s head off and use it as a bowling ball, especially this Kelly chick.” Puck says. Once again, Rachel’s words remind him just how awful they’ve all treated Rachel in the past.

“Thank you Noah, and don’t ever let Kel hear you call her a ‘chick’ because then she’ll be ripping your head off to use as a bowling ball, as you so eloquently put it.” Rachel says as she picks up her controller to continue their game.

“How much longer are you planning on staying?” Puck asks once Rachel is done.

Rachel takes out her phone to look at the time. “Probably until three. That should give me enough time to head home and finish my homework before I head over to Kelly’s.” Rachel answers.

“Is Quinn going to join you again at the last minute?” Puck asks, very aware that he is acting like a child and that he sounds jealous, but he can’t help it. He is used to monopolising all of Rachel’s attention for a better part of a month.

“Weren’t you listening? It’s just Kel and I tonight. Alex and Gabe might join us later.” Rachel says rolling her eyes at what she thinks is Puck’s inattention, not picking the undercurrent of jealousy in his voice, because she’s busy reaching for her phone to read an incoming text.

Quinn Fabray: Hi Rachie. Hope you’re having a good day so far. Could you call me later so we can finalize plans for tomorrow?

Rachel smiles as she fires a quick reply.

Hi Quinn. Great day so far & I was just about to text you. I’ll call you when I get home later.

“Princess, if you can tear yourself away from your phone, and return your attention to the here and now, it’s your turn.” Puck says, nudging her shoulder.

“Oh, sorry Noah.” Rachel answers with a slight blush as she puts her phone back in her bag and picks up her controller, missing the undercurrent of jealousy in Puck’s voice once again.

They try to play a bit more, but Abby wanting to spend time with Rachel puts an end to that.

“Abby, why don’t you go down and we’ll join you as soon as we finish cleaning up?” Rachel asks.

“Do I have to?” Abby asks.

“Yes, Squirt, unless you wanna help us clean.” Puck answers with a smirk.

“See ya guys soon.” Abby says as she sprints out and down the stairs, leaving behind a laughing Rachel.

“You’re just gonna turn it off? After all the work we put?” Puck asks disbelievingly when Rachel reaches for the power button. She stops and gives him a look.

“Well, you can always finish after I’m gone by playing both characters I guess. Or you can ask Abby to play Luigi.” Rachel answers.

“No way. She’s not good at all, and it’s not the same without you.” Puck mumbles.

“Suit yourself then.” Rachel says as she pushes the power button on the NES.

Puck nearly cries when Rachel turns off the console. This is the first time he actually resents his sister for getting Rachel’s attention. It’s different now that he has to share Rachel’s time with others.

“See, if we could save it, then it wouldn’t be such a big deal. I’m going to research and see if the version I can download for the Wii is one that we can save our progress.” Rachel says as she helps Puck put things away. She mistakes his surliness with having their play time interrupted and having to start again next time they pull out the game.

They end up a watching few episodes of The Fairly Oddparents before Rachel has to go.

“Do you have to leave so soon?” Abby asks sadly, echoing Puck’s feelings.

“I need to finish my homework, Sweetie.” Rachel explains.

“But you can do your school stuff later tonight.” Abby whines.

“Probably, but it’d be extremely rude of me, seeing as I’m spending the night at a friend’s house.” Rachel answers with a smile.

“Why are you spending the night? Are your dads going out and they don’t want you alone in the house?” Abby asks.

Rachel giggles at the logic, but stifles it quickly. “No, Sweetie. My dads aren’t going anywhere. I’m having my usual girl’s night with my friend Kelly before she returns to college.” Rachel answers.

“Oh. How come you and I don’t do that?” Abby asks, not liking the idea of another person taking away time with Rachel.

Rachel thinks about her answer. She doesn’t want to hurt Abby’s feelings by saying something insensitive. She looks to Puck for assistance and has to fight the urge to smack him upside the head when she sees an amused smirk in his face.

“Well, to be honest, the only time we could do that would be on the weekends, but with your Hebrew classes, temple, my voice, dance, and piano lessons there just isn’t enough time. I also need to spend time with my daddies when they’re home. I need and also want to spend time with my mom now that we found each other again.” Rachel answers, hoping that is enough.

“But you’re going to spend the night at your friend’s house. How is that different?” Abby asks.

Rachel has to bite the urge to sigh audibly at this. Puck chuckles but covers it up with a fake cough at the look Rachel throws him. He wants to high-five his sister.

“It’s not. I’m making an exception because Kelly goes to college in Chicago and I only get to see her when she visits during holidays.” Rachel answers.

“That makes sense. Why can’t you stay longer and do your homework tomorrow? Better yet, why don’t you come back tomorrow?” Abby asks with a smile at her solution.

“Usually, that would be a great compromise, but I made plans to hang out with Quinn so it’d be irresponsible of me to leave my school work to the last minute, or for me to cancel on her.” Rachel answers.

“You do all your homework early? For real?” Abby asks furrowing her eyebrows.

“I try to. That way, I don’t have to feel the stress of rushing through it and worrying my work isn’t good enough.” Rachel says.

“When are you gonna come back and hang out with us again, Rach?” Abby asks, quickly changing the subject from doing homework because she knows Rachel will eventually turn it around on her.

“I don’t know, but soon I hope.” Rachel says as she gets her things ready. “Be a good girl for your mom.” She adds.

“I’ll probably see you in school on Monday, Noah. Please give my love to Susan. I don’t want to disturb her rest.” Rachel says, giving both Puckerman children a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

The drive home is done to the beat of music. As usual, when she’s alone, Rachel starts to take apart each song so if the chance ever presents itself to use said song for a performance, it suits her voice better. Before she knows it, she is pulling in to her spot in the garage. Rachel quickly goes inside and grabs her phone to call Quinn.

“Hey. Hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Rachel says into the mouthpiece.

“Hi Rachie. Just my homework, so believe me when I say it’s a welcomed interruption.” Quinn replies. “You’re home kinda early. Did you have a good time with Puck?” Quinn asks.

“Yes, it was entertaining. We played video games as usual. You really should consider joining us next time. If it’s because you feel strange going to his place, I can make sure next time, we get together here.” Rachel answers. “Has your day been satisfactory so far?” Rachel asks in return.

Quinn giggles at the answer. That is such a ‘Rachel’ way of asking. “Thanks for the invitation, and as long as you don’t think I’m intruding, I’ll definitely consider it. And my day has been great. My mom took me to a surprise day at the local spa and we both got spoiled.” Quinn answers smiling unconsciously. She loves how spending time with her mom is getting easier every day.

“That sounds fun.” Rachel says. She wonders if she’ll ever have that type of relationship with Shelby.

“Anyway, I know we have school on Monday, but I was hoping that maybe you could spend the night? We can finish whatever homework we don’t get to today and that way you don’t have to rush. The only thing is that I have to get up early for Cheerios practice. You’re more than welcome to sleep until it’s time for you to go to school and stuff. I already cleared it with my mom and she doesn’t mind at all.” Quinn says.

Rachel smiles at that. She has had countless sleepovers with Kelly, but this is the first time she’s had an invitation to one with someone else.

“Rachie? You still there? I know this is kinda sudden and last minute. What was I thinking? I mean, I’d feel funny having to eat breakfast at your place and get ready for school if it was just me and your dads…” Quinn starts to ramble until she’s interrupted by a giggling Rachel.

“I guess my rambling is contagious. I apologise, Quinn. I didn’t mean to ignore you. Once again, you have rendered me momentarily speechless. This is the first time I’ll get to do something like this with someone other than Kelly. As long as you’re sure, I’d love to take you up on your invitation to have our own sleepover.” Rachel says.

Quinn feels awful at Rachel’s words. They’re just another reminder of what her insecurities, her actions, and stupidity have done to a lovely girl. “Rach, I’m sorry. I…” Quinn starts to apologise, but is once again cut off by Rachel.

“Quinn, please don’t. I’m sorry. I honestly wasn’t thinking how my words could be taken. Please believe me when I say that my intentions were never to bring back bad memories for either one of us. It was just an observation.” Rachel says sadly.

If anything, the words make Quinn feel even worse. She can actually picture Rachel biting her bottom lip and her eyes shine with concern for her. “You should never apologise for being honest or for telling me how you feel. I need to grow a thicker skin is all. So you’re up for it then? We can finish our homework if we’re not done by the time you get here tomorrow. Then I can start educating you on the epicness that is Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Quinn says.

“Sounds like a plan. I’d like to slightly modify it though. Would it be all right if I were to give you a duffle bag with my change of clothing to take to school with you and have you drop it in my locker? That way I can run to school and I won’t have to miss my workout. Only thing is, I’d have to leave my car in your place and I’d have to ride back with you to get it after school.” Rachel asks.

“You run?” Quinn asks surprised. “I thought your great legs were the result of your dancing.” She blurts out. Quinn’s eyes widen when she realises what she just said and she can’t help the wave of crimson overtaking her fair features. She is positive she’s blushing to the tip of her toes.

“Thank you for your compliment Quinn, although if anyone has great legs, it would be you.” Rachel answers, blushing herself. “I alternate running, working out on my elliptical, doing yoga, and tai chi for my exercise routine.” Rachel answers.

“Will you be okay? No offence, but it’s like three miles and change from my house to McKinley.” Quinn says, still blushing, but more due to Rachel’s compliment.

“None taken. If anything, I’m quite touched by your concern. I’ll be more than all right. I normally run double that when I’m training for races.” Rachel answers with a smile.

“I didn’t know you were in the track team, Rach.” Quinn says puzzled.

Rachel giggles. Of course that’d be what most people would think. “I’m no. I meant charity races. I don’t have the explosive power needed to run track. I’m more a middle distance runner.” She clarifies. “So I take it then that you’ll be all right with my things? I’ll make sure to give you my locker combination.” Rachel adds.

“Of course.” Quinn answers in slight shock.

“Quinn, are you all right? Am I taking advantage of our friendship by asking you to bring my things to school?” Rachel asks once she picks up on the blonde’s odd tone of voice and slight hesitation.

“Sorry, Rach. I’m more than happy you trust me with your things. I’m just shocked at how little I know you. Which is something I plan on fixing tomorrow.” Quinn replies.

“I like how that sounds. And on that note, I must bid you farewell for now. We both need to get as much of our school work done so hopefully tomorrow we won’t have to worry about that.” Rachel says with a relieved smile.

“See you tomorrow Rach. Have fun with Kelly tonight.” Quinn says.

Both girls are smiling when the phone conversation ends. Quinn resumes her homework while Rachel gets her things ready to start hers.

* * *

Rachel smiles as she puts the finishing touches to her first rough draft on an English Lit essay. After she makes sure it’s saved in her laptop, her backup drive and a flash drive (one can never too sure about such things), she puts her things away and packs away all that she’ll need for her night at the Rileys’ and her night with Quinn. She smiles at the thought alone. Once she makes sure she has everything she needs, she leaves in search of her fathers.

“Bye Dad, Daddy. I’ll see you on Monday.” Rachel says as she gives both men a hug and a kiss.

“Have a great time, Baby Girl. Don’t forget to call or text us if you need anything.” Leroy says smiling.

Hiram echoes his sentiment. He hopes that his little girl’s good heart won’t backfire and that Quinn is sincere in her offer of friendship. He hasn’t seen Rachel this happy in ages.

Rachel sings along to her music, for once not dissecting each song, as she makes her way across town towards the Rileys’ home. Seven or so songs later, and she’s pulling up to the driveway. She takes her things and makes her way inside the house. She drops her things on the floor just in time for a black and furry blur to pin her against the closed door.

“Down Fusilli.” Rachel says in a stern voice. She refrains from further acknowledging the dog until he’s lying by her side. “Wow. It actually works.” Rachel mumbles as she finally reaches down and scratches the dog behind his hears.

“Of course it does. See, all you need is to be firm and only give him attention when he’s calm, and on your terms.” Christine says as she steps out from the kitchen.

Rachel immediately stops her ministrations on the Rottweiler mix to give the middle age woman a hug. “Hi Christine. Thanks for having me over.” She says into the woman’s chest.

“Hey yourself, Little Robin. And don’t be silly. You might have moved clear across town, but this will always you your home.” Christine replies. She might not have given birth to Rachel, but she sure as hell loves her as if she did.

“You know Mom, it’s always a good idea to make sure Rach can breathe.” Kelly says as she approaches the hugging duo.

“Oh, hush. I haven’t seen my Little Robin since Thanksgiving.” Christine says, although she does loosen her hold on the diva. “Come on girls, dinner is nearly ready.” She adds as she guides Rachel to the kitchen. Fusilli following happily.

“How was your day with Noah?” Kelly asks as she sketches Rachel curled up on Fusilli’s back, while both are sprawled on her bed.

“If you ever want to get along with Noah, you better refrain from using his given name and call him Puck. I think I’m the only one outside of his family who can get away with it. And it was very nice. We goofed with his NES. After his little sister, Abby came back, we watched a bit of TV. How was your day?” Rachel answers, her right hand reaching over and to the side to pet Fusilli’s head.

“You’re lucky you’re so tiny, otherwise you’d crush our dog.” Kelly says with a laugh. “I hung out with Frank, Amanda, and Sally. We were trying to catch up and sh…stuff. Does your friend realise that the first thing people think about when we hear ‘Puck’ is the sprite, also known as a fairy from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream?” She adds as she grabs a different piece of charcoal to continue her sketch.

“That’s a good question actually, but to be honest, since I started high school, the only Shakespeare plays we’ve had to read have been ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. So I guess it’s possible he has no clue. He’s not the English Lit type.” Rachel says with a giggle, which soon turns into a full blown laugh at the thought of Puck’s face to that revelation. “I’m glad you had a good time with your friends.” She adds once she calms down.

“They were asking where you were. They thought for sure you’d be coming along as well, since we’re pretty much a package deal in their eyes. Imagine their surprise when I told them you had plans to hang out with your friends.” Kelly says with a giggle. “I’m sorry Little Robin. That was insensitive of me. I know how much you hate to be reminded of how things are in McKinley. It’s really their loss and you know I love spending all my time with you.” She says sobering up at the pained look on Rachel’s face.

“Don’t be. You know, even if I wasn’t hanging out with Noah, I wouldn’t have gone with you. I know they feel strange hanging out with a kid. They’ve never let me forget I’m a few years younger than you are. I’m glad that even with me as your extra-attachment they’re still good friends to you.” Rachel says with a shrug. Fusilli twists and starts licking Rachel’s face, sensing one of his favourite humans is in distress. “Down Fusilli.” Rachel says in a firm voice.

“You’re not an extra-attachment. You’ve been my best friend for as long as I can remember. They’re only jealous because they allowed their stupidity to get the better of them and missed out hanging out with you for fear of being made fun of for befriending someone younger. Two years is nothing.” Kelly says as she sets her charcoal and pad down to squeeze Rachel’s knee.

“Kel! You got charcoal residue all over my pjs.” Rachel says, smacking her hand away.

“Nothing a run through the wash won’t fix. So, what’s up with the duffle bag? It’s not like you don’t keep enough of your stuff here.” Kelly says with a smirk on her face as she proceeds to grab Rachel’s face and leave a smudge on her cheek.

“Kel! Between you and Fusilli, I’m going to have to shower again!” Rachel huffs. “I’m spending the night at Quinn’s tomorrow. Most of the stuff is what I’ll be changing into for school and my running gear.” She adds, shooting Kelly a glare once she notices the evil glint in the girl’s eyes.

“You guys are having sleepovers already? Isn’t that kinda soon? Don’t get me wrong, I love that she’s sincere and all, but are you sure you’re ready to spend that much time alone with each other?” Kelly asks surprised.

“Kel, I thought you said you’re okay with Quinn and I being friends.” Rachel says with a defeated sigh. First Noah, and now Kelly. She imagines she shouldn’t be surprised, considering their past history.

“I am. I swear Little Robin, but you gotta admit that you only really started to have a non-antagonistic relationship since Monday, that’s less than a week’s time. You get attached to people rather quickly, and I don’t want to see you get hurt if for whatever reasons your personalities end up clashing.” Kelly replies.

“I’m so grateful that you’re always looking out for me, but at one point, things have to go my way, right? I mean, it can’t always be bad. I’m due for a break. The law of averages has to be on my side now. I can’t really explain it. I know I should be wary, but I feel so at ease with Quinn. Even when our relationship was adversarial, I never hated her. I always suspected there was more to her.” Rachel says softly, once again settling down on Fusilli’s side. “Besides, if there’s any chance of personality clashes, it’d be between the two of you.” She adds.

“How are your dads taking this whole friends with the enemy bit?” Kelly asks curious. She easily ignores the last bit, because she knows Rachel is right. She can’t understand how Rachel’s dads can be so accepting of one of the girls responsible for their daughter’s misery for two school years.

“They trust my judgement. They also believe people deserve extra chances.” Rachel answers with a slight shrug (or as much of one as she can muster sprawled down).

“Why do you put up with so much crap? Why not do something about it?” Kelly asks utterly confused, changing subjects again.

“I know something most people here don’t. High school is nothing in the grand scheme of life. It’s only four years out of my life, which God willing will be a long and productive one. It’s funny how similar small towns are. Sports drive everything, and if one isn’t part of a team, one isn’t worth the effort. Unlike a lot of my classmates, I’m fortunate enough that my family is well off to the point that I’m not relying on scholarships in order to attend college. Instead of wasting my time trying to climb the social ladder, I’m making sure my grades are impeccable and my extra-curricular activities will show I’m a well rounded individual.

“As far as I know, no college takes into account one’s popularity as one of their criteria for admissions. Once I graduate and move to New York, students at NYU, NYADA or Juilliard won’t care if I was considered a social pariah here. All they’ll care about is how talented I am, and whether or not I pose a threat to their dreams. My life won’t come to an end, and my self-esteem won’t shatter if I’m just one more freshman trying to survive. Those who are lucky enough to get out of here will have such a huge wakeup call once they find out they’re going to be another one of the bunch. They’ll probably have a near breakdown when they realise all the clout and power they hold now will do absolutely nothing for them once they start college.” Rachel answers.

“It took Alex, Gabe and I our first semester of college to figure that out. Something tells me you knew this all along. Have you shared your insight with your peers?” Kelly asks.

“I’m a very observant person.” Rachel replies. “Not really. The majority of my peers aren’t all that interested in what I have to say.” She adds.

“And very modest as well.” Kelly says with a chuckle and a shake of her head.

“It has nothing to do with being egotistical when one is stating the truth.” Rachel fires back, hands playing with Fusilli’s ears.

“It’s good to see this side of you again.” Kelly says with a gentle smile. “Okay, I’m done. Come look at my masterpiece.” Kelly adds as she pulls Rachel to a sitting position before she hands her the sketchbook.

“Wow Kel. This is amazing. Can I frame this?” Rachel asks.

“Glad you like it, and of course. I figured you wouldn’t be able to resist another portrait.” Kelly says laughing.

“You make me look so pretty when you draw me.” Rachel says with smile.

“I don’t even come close to doing your beauty justice. I hate how those jealous wenches and insecure imbeciles have made you doubt yourself so damn much.” Kelly says sadly, as she traces Rachel’s jaw line with her fingers. “Where is that self-confident girl I was just talking to a few seconds ago? You’re beautiful. Otherwise, idiots like the Troll wouldn’t be drooling and risking their popularity for you. Now, go and wash the charcoal remnants from your gorgeous face. I don’t know how you manage to get that stuff all over you when I’m the one doing the sketching.” She adds with a smirk.

“Yes, because I leapt from Fusilli’s side and rubbed my face and my pjs against your charcoal filled fingers just for fun.” Rachel says rolling her eyes. “I’m going to go and shower. Please refrain from getting any more of my things dirty. In case those two years you have on me have started to affect your brain, when you sketch something, the accepted medium is usually a sketchpad or something similar. Not someone’s face or someone’s clothing.” Rachel adds as she grabs a change of clothing and heads to the en suite in Kelly’s room.

Kelly laughs at that. “I’ve missed you Little Robin.” She calls out to Rachel’s retreating form.

The rest of the night is spent watching movies and catching up. Soon, Alex and Gabe join them. When it gets late, it takes a bit of ‘persuasion’ from Rachel for them to get some rest.

“You guys will be doing a lot of driving. If it was me, you’d be strapping me down to a bed and probably giving me some sleeping medication just to make sure I’m well rested. Don’t have such a double standard.” Rachel says with a look that has all three college students gulping.

Christine laughs at the sight of three grown people almost trembling at the sight of a 5’2” teenager. “I agree with Rachel. Get some sleep. You have a long drive ahead. Christmas break will be here before you know it. You’ll have more than enough time to hang out then.” She says.

The trio looks between Christine and Rachel, and mumble a quick good night along with a string of mostly unintelligible words about scary, short brunettes and overcompensating something or other. One well placed pout and they’re tripping over their feet apologising for being so insensitive.

Christine smiles at the sight of the retreating ‘children’. She has missed this. The house feels too lonely now that her kids are gone to college and Rachel lives clear across town that makes visiting everyday difficult.

 

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone who has read this chapter in another site, I've edited and expanded a few things. 
> 
> Also, please keep in mind that this is AU. In my world, anything past the first 13 eps of season 1 are up for grabs for me to twist things around to suit my purposes. I hated how they sabotaged the show.
> 
> I'll probably mention this again, but the Lucy Caboosey storyline does not exist. That came up of nowhere, probably a way for RM & Co. to do yet another "art imitates life" bs. Something I don't need to do in my stories.
> 
> Self-edited, so if anyone notices any typos, please drop me a line and I'll fix it.

* * *

 

Chapter 8

 

Sunday morning, while the younger Rileys get ready for their trip, Rachel and Christine get breakfast sorted out.

“You didn’t have to help me with breakfast, especially if you’re not having any of it.” Christine says.

“It’s not that I don’t want to. I’m meeting Quinn and her mom for brunch and it’d be rude of me to show up with a full stomach. I don’t mind helping you at all, since I’m commandeering your kitchen to bake these cookies.” Rachel answers as she pulls out a fourth batch cookies from the oven.

“Little Robin, please tell me you made enough for our drive.” Gabe says, as he enters the kitchen, not bothering with a greeting.

“Better yet, that they’ll be cool enough for us to pack and take with us.” Alex adds, eyeing the cooling cookies in the rack.

“Don’t even think about it. Those are my ‘thank you for having me over’ cookies for Quinn and her mom.” Rachel says shooting them a warning glare.

“What about ‘I hope you guys have a great drive’ cookies for us?” Kelly adds as she takes a step closer to the cookies.

Rachel glares at them again and reaches over for the SuperSoaker Christine still uses on occasion to discourage Fusilli’s unwanted behaviour.

“You wouldn’t dare!” Alex says as he takes a few steps back.

“Try me. This is used to discouraged unwanted behaviour. Helping yourself to my cookies without permission is unwanted behaviour. Or would you rather I whack your hand with a wooden spoon?” Rachel says as she takes aim.

“All right, everyone. Stop it. Alex, Gabe, and Kel, you know better than to try and sneak food off of Rachel.” Christine says to the trio. “Little Robin, put down that SuperSoaker. Fusilli is looking confused. He’s not sure what he did wrong. I won’t have you all start a water fight in my kitchen.” She says to the diva, but her eyes dart to Alex, who is inching closer to the sink and the spray nozzle attachment beside the faucet. Gabe and Kelly try to make their way to where the pots are, in the hopes of grabbing some lids to use as shields. Inwardly she’s smiling at the scene. She has missed the interaction of her children so much.

“They started it.” Rachel says as she sticks out her tongue at them. She only puts down the water gun after she’s sure Alex is nowhere close to the sink. As a precaution, she grabs a wooden spoon and stands in front of her cookies.

“Did not. You need to learn how to share.” Alex fires back.

“Children! It’s hard to believe three of you are college students and one of you is getting close to becoming one herself.” Christine says with a shake of her head. “Come on Little Robin; put them out of their misery. I’m too old for this.” She adds with a shake of her head.

“More like you’re having a hard time keeping a straight face.” Rachel mumbles under her breath, only to get a raised eyebrow. “Oh, all right. Take away all my fun, why don’t you.” Rachel mutters as she sets down the wooden spoon. “And it wouldn’t have killed you to greet me properly this morning.” She says while shooting the trio a warning glare.

The trio slump slightly and drop their heads in defeat. “We’ll behave. Sorry Rach. You’re right. That was very rude. I hope you had a great start to your morning.” Gabe says, already suspecting what will happen next, but keeping his reaction neutral. He doesn’t want to risk Rachel changing her mind.

“Suck up.” Kelly mutters through a fake cough, only to be whacked upside the head by Gabe. “I mean, good morning, Little Robin.” She says, while she rubs the back of her head and shoots Gabe a murderous glare.

“Hi, Rach. I hope Kelly didn’t keep you up all night with her snoring and you managed to sleep well.” Alex says as he takes a few steps towards Christine.

Kelly is about to retort, but stops after one look from her mother. Instead, she sighs and turns to face Alex who mouths ‘chicken’ to her before her attention focuses on Rachel again. She smirks when she hears an indignant ‘mom!’ from her brother after a ‘behave’ from her mother.

Rachel giggles at the display as she pulls out a container filled to the brim with cookies. “Like I would ever leave you guys out. I made sure I got these ready first. There’s a mixture of peanut butter-chocolate chip, ginger-snaps, and oatmeal-raisin ones.” She says as she hands Gabe the container.

“You’re the best.” Gabe says as he grabs the box and places a kiss on Rachel’s head.

“Of course I am. Remember that next time we’re in a car together and accept the fact that I’m always the one who chooses the music. My musical taste is impeccable.” Rachel replies with a grin.

The other three nod and agree readily. At this point, they would have shaved their heads in order to get those cookies.

“Sorry Rachel. We know better, but you can’t really blame us. Your cookies are addictive.” Kelly says blushing bright red.

Alex grins and looks ready to open the container and start eating but stops at the last second. He walks over to Rachel and pulls the diva in a hug. “Thanks Rachel. You’re the best. Don’t ever forget that.” He says before putting her down on solid ground and placing a kiss on her temple.

“Breakfast is almost ready and those are for the trip.” Christine says with another shake of her head. Her eldest is like a little boy when it comes to sweets. He can’t get enough and if he eats too many, he’s left all jittery and bouncing off the walls, only to crash hard once the sugar high is gone.

By the time the trio leave, it’s nearly time for Rachel to head to Quinn’s place. She smiles at them, waving her arms until they’re out of visual range.

“Don’t be a stranger, Little Robin. I love having you here. It hasn’t been the same since you guys moved. The house doesn’t feel as lonely when you’re here and Fusilli doesn’t sulk as much.” Christine says.

“I’ve missed you a lot, but I was afraid of overstaying my welcome by coming while Kel is away.” Rachel says uncharacteristically shy and unable to maintain eye contact.

Christine’s heart breaks at those words. She really hates how much this girl’s self esteem has dwindled since they moved away. She gently grabs Rachel’s chin with her index finger and thumb to lift the diva’s head. “Rachel, I’ve known you since you were three. You’re like another daughter to me. There’s no such thing as overstaying your welcome, because you’re always welcome here. This is as much your home as it is mine, Kelly’s or Alex’s. I’ve missed having you here every day.” She says gently.

Rachel nods and wraps her arms around Christine’s waist. “I miss coming here straight from school. I’m sorry that I hurt your feelings when I went searching for my… I mean, Shelby. It wasn’t that you weren’t enough. I… needed to know if I was more than a business transaction. I thought after all of that, you wouldn’t want me here unless Kel was here as well.” Rachel admits.

“Little Robin, where did you get such a preposterous idea? Did I do or say something to make you think that? You never hurt my feelings. I understand why you needed to find your birth-mother. I’m so happy that in the end, things worked out for the two of you. You know how all I want for Alex and Kel is for them to be happy?” Christine asks. “That’s all I want for you, Sweetheart. Sometimes, certain actions might disappoint me, but no matter what, you never will. Please talk to me.” She adds when she feels Rachel nodding against her chest.

“When I first told my dads I wanted to meet my real mother, they told me that I didn’t need a mom because I have them, and I have you. When they found out I’d been in contact with Shelby, Dad told me I was being selfish and that I was throwing all your help and your support in your face. He said I was rejecting not just them, but you as well with my actions and I was being an ingrate. He said I hurt your feelings really bad, but you never said anything because you were acting like the level headed adult that you are, instead of being a selfish teenager like me. I didn’t think you wanted to see me if unless Kel and Alex were back.” Rachel says.

Christine tenses at those words. She had no idea, but it makes sense, considering how badly Leroy and Hiram had reacted once they found out about Rachel being the one to contact Shelby. How could they not see that by yanking Rachel away they had done more damage than good? And that’s not even taking into account all the bullying Rachel has gone through, but tries so hard to hide from everyone. It certainly explains Rachel’s behaviour.

“Please don’t be mad at him. We talked it out in therapy and I know he was lashing out. He apologised and I forgave him. It’s just part of me thinks he’s right. I love you a lot. You’ve been a maternal figure to me for as long as I’ve known you, but I always knew it wasn’t the same. I guess knowing that you weren’t my mom and that out there, there was someone who was, is what made me want to find her. I’m sorry.” Rachel adds when she feels Christine’s body shift and tense. By now, she’s crying openly.

“Oh Rachel. I wish you had told me this sooner. I never felt you were betraying me. It doesn’t excuse their behaviour one iota, but your dads were feeling insecure because it took them so long to find a surrogate for you. I’m not angry with them. At least not anymore, even with this latest bit of information. I was upset that they lashed out at you the way they did, but I understand their fear. When Alex and Kel were younger, I was always afraid they’d choose their father over me after the divorce. He got to be the fun parent, while I was stuck being the disciplinarian and the bad guy. I imagine they felt something similar, in the sense that they’re the ones who have to set limits for you. I imagine that in their heads Shelby would be the one to allow you to do anything you wanted because she wouldn’t have to deal with the consequences. They were also afraid that you’d get this instant connection to Shelby because you two are so much alike.” Christine says with a shake of her head.

“But we’ve always been close and they’ve never had a problem with you.” Rachel says in between sobs.

“It’s not the same, Little Robin. I was never meant to be your mother, regardless of the fact that I love you as if you’re one of my own. In the end, your dads made all the parenting decisions. I’ve always been the go-to person whenever you needed a female perspective or advice. And yes, while I’ve done my share of disciplining, in the end, it’s always been your dads.” Christine says as she holds on to Rachel and runs a hand through silky brown hair. “I love you Rachel. No matter where Kelly settles after college, and after you make it on Broadway, this will always be your home. You’ll always be my Little Robin.” Christine says. She relaxes her hold on Rachel and gently wipes the tears from the diva’s face. She smiles when she sees Rachel’s relieved smile. “Go and wash your face. We wouldn’t want your friend thinking we tortured you here or something.” She adds.

“I love you too.” Rachel says before she makes her way to the powder room. She sighs when she sees her red and slightly puffy eyes. She debates about putting on makeup, but decides against it. Hopefully by the time she gets to Quinn’s house any evidence of tears will be gone.

Upon exiting the powder room, Rachel throws her arms around Christine again. “Thanks for everything. When I finally found Shelby, I thought I was the luckiest girl in the world because I was the only one with two dads and two moms. I still feel that way. I promise I’ll visit more often. I’ve missed you so much.” Rachel says grinning. She feels as if a huge weight has been lifted off of her shoulders.

“I’m holding you to that. Even if you can’t make it here physically, I’m only a phone call away.” Christine says, returning the hug before pulling away. “Now, go before your friend thinks we’ve kidnapped you.” Christine adds, walking Rachel to her car, helping the diva with her things.

Rachel immediately enters Quinn’s address into her GPS, plugs her iPod to her sound system and hits the ‘shuffle all songs’ option, not really sure what she’s in the mood for. She signs along to the songs with lyrics as she makes her way through Lima on her way to the Fabrays. She can’t help the nervous energy permeating her car. This will the longest time she will spend with Quinn without any buffers. Sure, they have been getting along, but so far, the longest time they’ve been alone has been a few hours. Still, she can’t deny how easy it has been to hang out with Quinn. She pulls over by the Fabray driveway and pulls out her phone.

“Rach? Is everything okay? Why are you calling me?” Quinn asks worried.

“Everything is fine. I’m actually outside, but I forgot to ask you where I should park my car. I don’t want to block anyone.” Rachel answers.

“Well, if you don’t mind me driving your car to school tomorrow, go ahead and pull up on the right side of the driveway.” Quinn replies, as if driving Rachel’s car is a normal occurrence between them.

“Okay. See you in a minute or two.” Rachel says, disconnecting the call.

Quinn giggles and heads to the front door to see Rachel getting out of her car and reaching to the backseat to grab her things. The giggle turns to a smile when sees that Rachel parked on the driveway.

“Hey. Let me help you.” Quinn says approaching the diva.

“Hi Quinn. Thanks.” Rachel says with a grin.

“Come on, let me introduce you to my mom, and then we can get your stuff settled in my room.” Quinn says as guides Rachel in to the house.

They set her things by the stairs, and before Quinn can say anything, Rachel reaches inside her duffle bag and pulls something out.

“You didn’t have to bring anything, silly.” Quinn says when she sees a black tin box with gold stars and a golden ribbon tied around it.

“I wanted to.” Rachel says.

“Thank you.” Quinn says. She grabs Rachel’s free hand, and leads the diva to the kitchen.

“Mom, this is Rachel Berry. Rach, this is my mom, Judy Fabray.” Quinn says once they’re inside.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Fabray.” Rachel says politely as she extends her right hand.

Judy smiles at the diva and quickly wipes her hand on her apron. “The pleasure is mine, Rachel. Welcome to our home.” She says as she shakes Rachel’s hand.

“Here, I baked some ‘thank you’ cookies as a token of my appreciation for having me over.” Rachel says handing over the tin box she had on her other hand.

Judy sees the tin box and smiles at the diva. “Thank you Rachel. That’s very sweet and thoughtful. You didn’t have to go to the trouble at all. It’s always nice to have one of Quinnie’s friends over.” She says.

“You’re welcome Ms. Fabray. I love to cook so it was no trouble at all. I only wish I had a little bit more time, so I could have made you something a little bit more elaborate than cookies.” Rachel replies blushing a light pink.

“It’s Judy, please, and I’m sure they’ll be delightful.” Judy answers with a smile. It’s such a pleasant switch to meet someone so polite. “May I?” She asks gesturing to the tin box.

Quinn does a double take at that. Her mom has never asked her friends to call her by her first name upon their first meeting. It had taken Santana and Brittany well over two years before the invitation had been extended.

“Please do.” Rachel answers, looking and sounding uncharacteristically shy.

Judy smiles as she pulls on the neatly tied ribbon. The scent assaulting her senses once the lid is open makes her re-evaluate the thought that Quinn was exaggerating when she was telling her about the crêpes she had Friday. She takes what looks like a chocolate cookie and takes a bite out of it. She has to fight the urge to moan. “Wow. Are these made of Nutella?” Judy asks after she swallows.

“Yes. I was feeling adventurous one day. I tweaked a recipe by replacing peanut butter with Nutella. After a few hit and misses, these cookies were born.” Rachel says.

Quinn, upon hearing the word ‘Nutella’ strides across the kitchen, reaches for one of the cookies, and takes a bite. “Oh my God, Rachie! These are to die for.” Quinn says after she swallows.

“I do feed her, you know. She might look thin and, but I make sure she eats well balanced meals whenever she’s home.” Judy says with a light chuckle after Quinn shoves the remaining of the cookie in her mouth.

Rachel smiles happily.

“That’s the problem. It’s all balanced meals, with next to no sweets.” Quinn grumbles as she tries to grab another cookie, only to have Judy whack her hand away.

“You can blame the no sweets on your coach. I know these are great, but save your appetite for brunch. I’m almost done here.” Judy says as she puts the lid back on the box. “And you, young lady, should be thankful I’m insisting on feeding you well. Otherwise, I don’t think you’d survive under Ms. Sylvester’s clutches. We can save the rest for later.” Judy adds.

“Do you need assistance with anything Ms. Fabray?” Rachel asks shuffling her weight between her feet.

“It’s Judy, and no. I appreciate the offer, but there’s no need. If I accept your help, it means I have to accept Quinn’s help as well. I doubt the kitchen will survive.” Judy says giggling.

Rachel fights back the urge to laugh while Quinn throws her mom a dirty look. She doesn’t dispute it because she knows her mom is right.

“I’m not that bad.” Quinn says with a mock scowl at her mother, knowing full well that the older blonde is right and she really is that bad.

“Quinn, you googled instructions on how to boil water when I asked you to make me some tea.” Judy says a shake of her head.

Quinn’s eyes widen and she blushes a bright red. “Mom! Can you at least wait until later to have fun at my expense?” She grumbles. “Not a word, Rachel.” She adds at the sight of Rachel unsuccessfully stifling her giggles.

“Sorry Quinn. I don’t think it was possible to be that hopeless in the kitchen.” Rachel says between giggles.

“I didn’t google how to boil water. I googled how to make tea. There’s a difference.” Quinn mumbles, causing Rachel’s giggles to turn into a full-blown laugh.

Judy smiles at the exchange. “Why don’t you take Rachel up and get her settled. The two of you can help me set the table afterwards.” She says after Rachel manages to stop laughing.

“Sure Mom. We’ll be back in a few.” Quinn replies as she reaches for Rachel’s hand and pulls the diva along with her, not giving Rachel a chance to say anything. “You know, I’ve been to your place twice already, and I have yet to see your room.” She adds as they make their way up the stairs.

Rachel thinks about saying something about having another sleepover soon at her place, but stops herself. She doesn’t want to push things too far, afraid of scaring Quinn away. “We’ll have to remedy that soon, won’t we?” She says instead, hoping that will be acceptable. Things with Kelly have always been so easy because they grew up together. The dynamic she has with Puck is also different because she was there for him when he landed himself in juvenile detention.

“Yes, we will. Welcome to my domain.” Quinn answers smiling as she gestures for Rachel to walk in first. “Toss your things on the floor by the desk or by the bed so we won’t trip over them and make yourself at home.” She adds as she places the duffle bag on top of a pine chest at the foot of her bed.

Rachel quickly sets her messenger bag beside her duffle bag. She is tempted to just toss it on the side of the desk, but since her laptop is inside it, she doesn’t want to risk kicking it by accident.

Rachel slowly takes in the bedroom. The walls are painted a royal blue with white trimming in the middle and at the bottom. The ceiling is white as well, with a very nice abstract pattern on it. It is framed by crown moulding, also in white. The floor is a rich and dark hardwood, with strategically placed rugs, all with some sort of geometric or abstract designs. The furniture is all white, including the double bed. The only things that aren’t white are the desk, which is made of what looks like chrome plated metal tubing and a thick glass pane, and the desk chair, which is black and made of a combination of leather and mesh. She sees two doors, so she assumes one is for the en suite, while the other is a walk-in closet. There are a series of framed movie posters. Mostly classics like ‘Gone With The Wind’, the original ‘Superman’ movie, the original ‘Star Wars’ trilogy, ‘Casablanca’, ‘Sabrina’ (the original, not the remake), ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’. Scattered around, are framed photographs of the Cheerios, and Glee. Not to mention photographs of Quinn, Judy, and another blonde who she imagines is Quinn’s older sister. Rachel does notice that there isn’t a single photograph of her father, but then again, who can blame Quinn for not wanting a reminder of the man who treated her so poorly.

“Do I get the Rachel Berry seal of approval?” Quinn says playfully as she stands next to Rachel.

“It’s gorgeous.” Rachel says gesturing to the room. “I had no idea you like classics. I pegged you as the romantic comedy type. I admit I’m pleasantly surprised.” She adds, blushing slightly.

“Isn’t it a bit presumptuous of you to think I like the classics?” Quinn asks with a smirk and a wink.

Rachel squirms slightly at the question. “Well, I, err, I mean, I figured with the posters and…” She stammers, blushing a deeper red.

Quinn chuckles at Rachel’s reaction. She loves seeing the usually eloquent diva sputter helplessly. “Relax, Rach. I’m playing with you.” She says before she dissolves in a fit of giggles.

“Quinn Fabray, that wasn’t nice.” Rachel says with a pout. Internally, she’s doing a happy dance because Quinn is teasing her playfully and not in the malicious way of old.

“I know. I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist. Please forgive me?” Quinn says contrite. She can definitely see why Kelly, Alex, and Gabe have such a hard time saying ‘no’ to the diva when faced with that pout. “You’re right. I love classic movies. I like the big productions of old. Back then, a movie was moved along by plot, not by gimmicks. It’s a lot easier to lose oneself in those worlds. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a rom-com just like any other girl and I truly enjoy current films with the gazillion special effects, but I like substance, so given the choice, I’ll always choose a classic.” Quinn admits.

“You’re forgiven.” Rachel says with a smile. “I think it’s great. It certainly shows you have an open mind because you don’t dismiss a great movie based only on the fact that it was made a long time ago.” She adds.

Quinn takes a step closer to Rachel and frowns at what she sees. Rach, why were you crying?” She asks.

Rachel sighs. “I was hoping that by now all evidence of my crying would be gone. It’s nothing bad, I promise. I’ll tell you all about it in a bit, but your mom is expecting us to help her.” She says with a shrug of her shoulders.

“Okay, but know that you’re not getting out of it that easily.” Quinn says gently as she once again grabs Rachel’s hand.

*********

“Ms. Fabray, thank you so much for taking into account my dietary preferences and making sure I have a wide selection of food to choose from.” Rachel says as she helps Quinn bring out the last of the dishes Judy had made.

“It’s Judy, dear, and it was no bother at all. Like you, I love cooking so this gave me an excuse to indulge. It’s hard to cook for two people and not end up with tons of leftovers. Most of the time, I make simple things because it’s silly to go through all the prep time and cook only two portions.” Judy replies happily.

“I know what you mean. If you don’t mind a suggestion, you could always make the standard four servings and freeze the rest in individual portions that you can later reheat or even take to work or have Quinn take to school. It’ll certainly be healthier than what we’re served at the school cafeteria. That’s what I usually do.” Rachel says. “I’m sorry. I meant no disrespect. I didn’t mean to imply you’re doing a bad job managing your time and... I apologise again. It’s none of my business really.” She adds when she realises how her comments and suggestions might be taken.

“Don’t apologise dear. That’s a great idea. I’m always complaining how unhealthy most take-out is and I’m always running late in the morning, so it’s always a quick salad or sandwich that I end up packing.” Judy says with a smile.

“I’m getting tired of salads or eating off-campus all the time. I’d even volunteer to help, but we wouldn’t want me to set the kitchen on fire or something similar.” Quinn adds. She certainly would love to eat something other than salad or sandwiches.

The other two laugh at Quinn’s words.

“What are you girls planning on doing today?” Judy asks the girls as they serve themselves from the widespread of food set up in front of them.

“Wow Mom. You really outdid yourself. I’m going to have to work really hard the coming days or Coach is going to have my hide.” Quinn says after she swallows a mouthful of smoked salmon omelette. “We’re going to have a Buffy marathon. Can you believe that Rachel has no knowledge of the Buffyverse?” She adds.

“What? The show is called Buffy the Vampire Slayer. How am I supposed to take a show with a name like that seriously?” Rachel says in her defence.

“Wait. Let me guess, you only watch musicals and educational shows to further your knowledge because once you make it big on Broadway, you’re going to do your part for charity by taking place in Celebrity Jeopardy and you need to make sure you fill that pretty little head of yours with as much trivia as possible.” Quinn says with as much of a straight face as possible.

“Hey! I’ll have you know that documentaries aren’t bad at all and you can learn some rather interesting facts from them.” Rachel says, blushing a bright pink.

Quinn can’t contain the laughter because she was only kidding.

“For your information, I do watch non-educational programs such as ‘The Big Bang Theory’, ‘Bones’, and ‘Dr. Who’ though I’m not too happy with the new doctor. Ever since David Tennant left the show, I find myself not that much of an avid fan anymore.” Rachel says.

“Why don’t you like Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor?” Judy asks before Quinn can continue to tease the brunette.

“I don’t know. He feels odd and out of place. It would be like asking Brittany to play Fanny Brice in ‘Funny Girl’.” Rachel answers, causing both blondes to laugh and shudder at the mental image.

“Point taken, but it could be a matter of getting used to him as an actor. Who knows, maybe Brittany can surprise all of us and nail the role of Fanny Brice.” Judy says with a shrug, not realising Rachel’s obsession with anything and everything musical.

Rachel nearly chokes on a bite of her waffle as her eyes go wide at that statement.

Quinn bursts out in laughter at the indignant look on the brunette.

Judy looks on confused at the girls’ reaction. She didn’t think her comment was that preposterous or that funny. That is, until Quinn explains in between bouts of laughter Rachel’s obsession with all things Barbra, which leads to talk about the future and dreams of leaving Lima.

Rachel is surprised to find out Quinn has an interest in photography and journalism.

Judy is impressed with Rachel’s maturity when the girl admits she’ll more than likely end up choosing NYU, where she can do a double major and have the second degree as a fallback should her acting career not take off, though she isn’t discounting NYADA or Juilliard.

“Not to put a damper on your dreams, but were you aware that Juilliard doesn’t offer a musical theatre program?” Judy asks carefully.

“Yes, but they offer fantastic programs in vocal arts, acting and playwright. I’ve researched quite a few schools in New York City or nearby since I realised my dream is to be a stage actor.” Rachel answers with a smile.

“What would your second major be in?” Quinn asks.

“Architecture, or I could follow my daddy’s footsteps and go into chemical engineering.” Rachel answers.

“That’s why you’re taking so many math and science credits.” Quinn adds. She always wondered why Rachel bothered with those subjects.

“Yes, that is the reason why. I need those as back up, just in case.” Rachel says.

“You’ll be the only EGOT winner with an engineering or architecture degree then. You being successful on stage is only a matter of time.” Quinn says sincerely.

“Thank you Quinn, but we don’t know that. I know I’m good here, but I’m sure I’ll come across my fair share of equally talented peers once I make it to college.” Rachel says.

“Very realistic attitude to have, dear, but I’ve heard you sing. You’re easily the most talented singer in all of Lima.” Judy jumps in.

Rachel blushes, a bright pink. It’s been a while since someone outside of her family or instructors have complimented her in such a way and still be sincere about it. “Thank you.” She says shyly. “What kind of photography would you be pursuing, Quinn?” Rachel asks, trying to shift the attention from herself.

“Well, I considered doing a double major as well. One in photography and the second one in either journalism or English. I need to do a bit more research first. I don’t even know what colleges I want to apply to. I’m hoping to become a photojournalist and travel the world. But I’m also curious about the world of high fashion.” Quinn says, happy that for the first time in ages, she can openly talk about her dreams and not have her father shoot her down for being impractical. “Why architecture?” She asks.

“I don’t know. I’m always looking at houses and buildings. I’m always trying to improve the looks or the layouts. Daddy says it’s the control freak in me.” Rachel answers with a slight blush.

Judy smiles as both girls talk back and forth about their plans for their respective futures. She is ecstatic that even under Russell’s iron grip; Quinn never truly lost sight of her dreams. She agrees with her father, the girl inherited his eye behind the camera. She admits that part of her wishes Quinn would pick something more traditional and practical, but she refuses to be like Russell and force her daughter into something that will make her unhappy.

Eventually, the conversation moves to lighter topics and they’re back to discussing the state of television programming and movies in general.

Rachel insists in helping with the clean up and if she’s allowed, she’d love to assist with making dinner as well, which Judy relents on.

Soon, both girls are back in Quinn’s room.

“What?” Rachel asks when she notices Quinn staring at her with an unreadable expression on her face.

“Nothing. I’ve never seen my mom behave like that with any of my friends. I keep wondering if you’ve always been this easy to be with, and I’ve just been blind to it, or if it’s a recent thing.” Quinn admits honestly.

“You haven’t been blind. I’ve never been comfortable before with just being me. I’m used to always having people judge me, so I’m usually on the defensive when I’m with most people.” Rachel admits.

“I’m glad you can be this relaxed around me now. I know, we’ve been through this before, but I’ll always feel bad about how things were between us.” Quinn says. “What happened earlier? Why were you crying?” She asks.

“I honestly thought you’d have forgotten about it…” She starts to say, and eventually shares with Quinn the exchange she had with Christine just before she drove over.

“Wow. I’d still be holding a grudge, had that happened to me. Hell, it’s been a year, and I can’t refer to Russell as my father, let alone ‘dad’ or ‘daddy’. How do you it?” Quinn says.

“I apologise if I’m repeating myself, but it takes too much negative energy to hold a grudge. I deal with enough negative emotions without needing to add some of my own. It’s easier let go and move on. My therapist played a huge role in helping my dads and I work through our fears, anger, and resentment.” Rachel answers. She’s surprised at how easy it is to talk to Quinn.

“I guess that makes sense, but letting go of past hurts is very hard for me to do. It’s taking me all this time to have a somewhat decent relationship with my mom. I’m still afraid to trust her completely. It’s so messed up because I love her and I know she loves me and she feels horrible for what happened last year. I can’t seem to get over the fact that she didn’t do a thing when Russell kicked me out. I’m afraid that if I don’t live up to their old expectations, she’ll be the one kicking me out. She told me she had no choice when Russell disowned me, but I keep thinking that maybe part of her wanted me out since she did nothing. It’s so messed up.” Quinn says surprised at how easy it is to open up to Rachel. Even when things were fine with Brittany and Santana, she always found it next to impossible to talk openly with them.

Rachel automatically pulls Quinn into a loose embrace, but stays quiet. There isn’t really anything she can say without it sounding trivial; not when she doesn’t know everything about the situation and she doesn’t know a thing about Judy Fabray. Instead, she allows one of her hands to rub small circles on Quinn’s upper back.

“Thanks.” Quinn murmurs against Rachel’s hair, loving the comfort. “Don’t get me wrong though. Since she asked me to come home, she’s been fantastic, so I really have no reason to be afraid. Part of me is still a bit resentful, even though I’ve forgiven her. I guess it’s true when people say it’s easy to forgive, but very hard to forget.” Quinn continues; her voice thick with tears. She’s not sure why she’s telling Rachel all this, but once the words are flowing out, she is unable to stop them.

“That’s understandable. We expect our parents to love us unconditionally, no matter how bad our mistakes are. We grow up with this idea and image that parents are supposed to be invincible, so when they’re the ones who falter, it hurts more.” Rachel says, thinking about what she has gone through with her dads.

“Did you learn that from therapy?” Quinn asks, with a knowing smirk.

“Yes.” Rachel answers sheepishly. “Have you and your mother considered counselling? I know there’s a negative stigma to it, but I can guarantee you that if you find the right therapist, it’ll do wonders for you. Then again, you and your mom seem to be working through your issues really well, so never mind. Not everyone is the basket case that I am.” Rachel answers with a self deprecating smile.

“You’re not a basket case.” Quinn says, but blushes at the raised eyebrow she gets from Rachel. “Fine, I might have said so otherwise, but that was just me being a bitca to you.” She adds as unpleasant memories flood her mind.

Quinn shakes her head to rid herself of those memories. “Most of my life, I’ve been taught to keep my emotions locked and to deal with everything on my own. I’ve been told that only the weak ask for help. My family and I have been caught up in the whole image thing. We live in a small town, and it wouldn’t do if a Fabray showed any signs of weakness by displaying emotions openly. I’m being unfair though. My mom could have easily stayed married to Russell and still be miserable just to keep up appearances. After all, she could have ignored his affair and gone on as if nothing happened.” Quinn says. “I can’t even begin to imagine where I’d be if that were the case. I’d still be homeless.” Quinn admits in a near whisper.

“It looks as if you and your mom are doing a great job reconnecting. But you really should talk to your mom about the possibility of professional counselling. I can see that part of you is angry that it seems she only broke things off because she caught him cheating, and not for what he did to you. I think you resent her for not standing up for you and only asking you to come home only after he was out of the picture. It’ll only make things better and it’ll certainly help with avoiding misunderstandings by having a level-headed and unbiased professional playing mediator. You just need to find someone you can fully trust. It took my dads and I a few tries until we found someone we’re comfortable with.” Rachel shares with a gentle smile. They have shifted so they’re now lying side-by-side, but still holding hands.

“How are things between you and Shelby?” Quinn asks. ‘How are things with my, no, not mine, her baby?’ She asks in her mind. She wants to steer the conversation to other topics because one, it’s disconcerting how Rachel could read her so easily, and two, the idea of talking to a complete stranger about her life isn’t going to happen anytime soon.

Rachel takes a deep breath, trying to put her thoughts in order. “Once we both accepted that there was no way to recover sixteen years of estrangement and the fact that she is my surrogate and was never meant to keep me, things have been going surprisingly well. I’ll admit that I was a bit hesitant once Elizabeth was adopted, but my apprehension was silly. Again, with the help of my therapist, I found out that no matter what kind of relationship Mom has with Elizabeth, it won’t change a thing about how she feels about me. I apologise if bringing up my little sister triggers negative emotions in you.” Rachel answers. She tightens her hold on Quinn’s hand and shifts to her side so she can run her left hand down Quinn’s arm.

“I asked you, knowing full well she comes into the conversation by default. It’s not your doing. How is she? Do you think I can still take you and Shelby up on the offer of maybe when I’m ready seeing her one of these days?” Quinn asks, tears welling up in her eyes.

Rachel immediately shifts so she’s once again pulling Quinn into a hug. Quinn, for her part, melts at the comfort she feels in those surprisingly strong arms and allows herself to get lost in the mixture of Rachel’s perfume and that little something that is unique to the diva.

“She’s getting so big. She can sit upright by herself, she can turn by herself, and she’s smiling a lot more. She loves music, so it’s a good thing Mom and I love to sing to her.” Rachel answers excited.

Quinn smiles at that. Considering how much singing was around her when she was pregnant, it’s no surprise Beth would enjoy music. “Why do you call her Elizabeth?” Quinn asks.

“I don’t like the song that inspired the name, so I have a hard time calling her that. It’s why officially she’s Elizabeth Corcoran. It was my mom’s way to acknowledge my feelings about the origins of ‘Beth’ and her way to honour her birth parents. So to me, she’ll always be Elizabeth or Lisa.” Rachel replies, hoping her answer won’t upset Quinn more.

“Does she have a middle name?” Quinn asks.

“No. Otherwise I’d be using her middle name.” Rachel answers.

“When Puck sung that song to me, that’s when I knew there was no way we were ready to be parents. No matter how much I wanted to, I knew we would have made a huge mistake had we kept her. She would have ended up paying for our mistakes. I knew then that no matter what he said, he wouldn’t be able to give up being a teenager to become a father. Much like I wasn’t ready then and I’m still not ready now to stop being a teenager myself. I do wonder sometimes. I can’t help but torture myself with the ‘what if’ game. I wonder whom she looks like. What she’s like. Will you tell me?” Quinn says through a sad smile.

“She looks like you. Her hair is more of a strawberry blonde. Mom and I think that her hair will darken as she gets older, but you never know. She definitely lucked out and has your eyes and your nose. We’re not sure yet whose temperament she has inherited. If you want, when you’re ready, I can show you photographs.” Rachel says as she runs a soothing hand through Quinn’s hair.

“Thanks. I’d like that, but not yet.” Quinn says as the tears she has managed to hold at bay come spilling out.

Rachel immediately moves her hand so she’s wiping Quinn’s tears as softly as she can with the pad of her thumbs.

Quinn smiles sadly and sniffles a few times. “I’m ashamed to face her. I love her so much, but I also feel relieved I’m not a parent. I have so many mixed feelings. In a way Puck is right. I’m glad we gave her up for adoption. She now has a fighting chance to make something of herself. I need to figure out a way to deal with the guilt and relief I feel whenever the word baby is mentioned. I can barely bring myself to call her by name and it has nothing to do with Puck’s song. It’s like giving her a name makes her more real. Puck was the one who said the baby’s name was Beth when Ms. Corcoran asked. Seeing photos makes her real. I’m afraid that if I see her, that once I meet her and hold her, I’ll never want to let go again. The first time felt like someone ripped out part of my soul. At times, I feel like she’s the only good thing I’ve ever made, even if at one point, I was cursing my pregnancy.” She adds as she closes her eyes.

Rachel feels like her heart is in a vice grip at those words. For the first time ever, she has a clearer understanding of what Shelby must have gone through when the time came to hand her over to her dads. At least Quinn got to hold Elizabeth once, though now, she’s not so sure it’s a positive thing, even if Shelby keeps saying that refusing to hold a newborn Rachel is one of her biggest regrets. Then she reminds herself that the situations are different. From what little Puck had shared, Quinn’s pregnancy was the consequence of a decision made under the influence of alcohol. Shelby’s pregnancy was planned from the beginning. The end result was always clear.

“Maybe you should consider therapy. If you’re not sure how to go about it, you can always talk to your primary care physician and ask her or him for a referral or recommendation. If you wish, I can also give the name of mine or have Dr. Williams give me a list of people you can talk to. This way, you can hold something similar to interviews and talk to each of them until you find one you like. You don’t have to even talk to Dr. Williams if you feel funny about sharing a therapist. I can guarantee you that she’s very professional and would never divulge anything that is said in her confidence, even if our relationship is so convoluted. You know, when you take into account that your biological child is now my adopted sister.” Rachel says. She’s completely unaware her words are having a negative effect on Quinn. She can’t imagine the kind of pain Quinn has to be feeling because it is so clear the blonde loved, no, she still loves Elizabeth. All she wants to do is help Quinn deal with that pain.

“Rachie.” Quinn calls out, trying to interrupt the rambling, but Rachel doesn’t hear and keeps going on.

“Rachel! Listen to me.” Quinn says loud enough to get the diva’s attention and to stop the rambling.

“Yes Quinn?” Rachel asks startled.

“Just because therapy works for you, it doesn’t mean it’ll work for me. Not everyone is like you and has years of issues to work though. I know you have good intentions, but I can’t see myself spilling my innermost secrets to a complete stranger. I’m not you. I’m dealing in my own way. I’m actually surprised I’ve told you as much as I have.” Quinn says a bit more forceful than intended. She regrets her tone of voice the moment Rachel pulls away and flinches back, as if burned. She immediately misses those arms holding her.

Rachel is taken aback by Quinn’s tone of voice and words; but it’s the shift from hazel to stormy green in the blonde’s eyes that really shocks her. It’s been a while since that stormy-green gaze has been directed her way. The first thing that comes to Rachel’s mind is ‘I blew it.’ once Quinn’s words register. It feels like a slap in the face. “You’re quite correct, Quinn. Please accept my sincerest apologies. I did not mean to offend you, nor did I intend to push you into doing something you are not ready for. You’re also correct in saying that the majority of the population doesn’t have as many issues as me. I’m sorry if you felt as if you were forced to reveal anything personal to me. This certainly isn’t a ‘quid pro quo’ situation a la ‘Silence of the Lambs.’ All I’m asking is that everything I told you about my mom remains private. You’re the only person outside of my family who knows. Not even Noah knows, and I’d like to keep it that way.

“I am unsure how to proceed, since I do not know what proper etiquette would dictate. If you no longer wish to have me here, all I ask is for you to give me a few minutes and I will have all my things gathered and I shall take my leave soon after.” Rachel says stiffly, looking down at her lap. She knew it. She blew it by being overly eager again. Maybe the others are right after all, and she just wants things too much, to the point that she antagonises everyone around her. She wonders how the Rileys and the Chapmans can stand her. It seems Kelly and Puck were correct all along. It was too soon for them to spend a full day alone without buffers, let alone having a sleepover. So much for the law of averages and karma being on her side.

Rachel closes her eyes momentarily to stem the flow of tears. She doesn’t want Quinn to pity her. Maybe if she learns to curb her excitement slightly, refrains from butting in on other people’s business, and she learns how to act like ‘normal’ people would, she wouldn’t push others away so easily.

Quinn looks confused at first. The sudden shift in Rachel’s demeanour is somewhat disconcerting. Once she replays what she said to Rachel, the diva’s words and reaction sense. Quinn knows she overreacted, but surely, that isn’t enough reason for Rachel to want to leave. ‘No. Most people wouldn’t. But Rachel isn’t most people. She’s the girl you, along with the entire population of McKinley have bullied since day one. Of course Rachel thinks she has to leave.’ Quinn thinks disgusted. She knows she has to act fast, otherwise, the diva will get her things and head out, leaving them be back to square one. She reaches over and gently lifts Rachel’s chin with her index finger and thumb so they’re facing each other again.

The sudden contact causes Rachel to snap her eyes open so she’s staring at pools of concerned hazel. The stormy green is nowhere to be seen. The tears she has fought back return with a vengeance.

Quinn sucks in a breath when she sees the sheen of unshed tears in Rachel’s eyes and feels her guilt slam into her with the force of a colliding meteor. Instinctively, she brings her other hand and ends up cupping Rachel’s face with both her hands.

“Rachel, Sweetie. Look at me, please.” Quinn says in a gentle whisper when she sees Rachel avert her eyes. She’s afraid if she speaks any louder, she’ll scare the girl.

Rachel closes her eyes once again and swallows, before opening her eyes again. “I…” she starts to say, only to clamp her mouth and her eyes shut. She’s not sure what to say or what to do to fix things between them and not appear too eager or too desperate. God knows that if she’s honest with herself, she is desperate to make another friend.

“Shh. No talking yet. I need you to listen to me, okay? Can you please open your eyes?” Quinn asks. She smiles when she feels Rachel nod in her hands. Her smile falters when she once again sees unshed tears on the brink of spilling. “I don’t want you to leave. Why would you even think that? Did I do something to imply you need to go?” Quinn asks.

Rachel shakes her head. “I… I don’t know.” She manages to force out, eyes downcast once more. All she can think of now are the words of people telling her time and again that she talks too much. That she never gives others a chance to have their say. That she’s too pushy, too needy, and too clingy. That she’s too nosy. That she never knows when to back off.

“I thought we were going to be open with each other and be ourselves. I thought that if we ever did or said anything to make the other uncomfortable that we’d talk about it openly to avoid misunderstandings. What am I missing here? Because I thought that’s what we were doing. All of a sudden you’re telling me you’re leaving. What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours? I can practically see and hear the gears turning. Please talk to me Rachie.” Quinn says gently. Deep down, she knows she lashed out, but before she can apologise, she needs to get Rachel to listen.

Rachel looks up, but she has to fight the urge to drop her gaze again. “Once again, you are correct. Please allow me a few minutes to gather my thoughts.” She says softly.

Quinn nods, but feels like screaming. Rachel is back to her formal speech. She really shouldn’t be surprised. What was she expecting really? After two years of constant verbal and physical (there’s no other way to describe a slushy attack) abuse, did she really think Rachel would be able to just forget everything and act as if nothing happened? She starts to silently berate herself.

Rachel immediately feels bad when she sees the play of emotions on Quinn’s face. She forces her feelings of insecurity aside as she raises one of her hands so it rests on top of one of Quinn’s still cradling her face.

“Quinn, I’m sorry. I mess everything up because I’m too pushy and don’t know when to back off. I don’t want you to regret being my friend. The way you were talking just now, I thought you needed space from me. I thought that if I stay, you’d end up wishing you never approached me last Monday. I don’t know what’s acceptable behaviour and what isn’t. I don’t have a lot of references to draw from.” Rachel admits in a low voice, leaning into Quinn’s touch. “I’m sorry I talk so much. I’m sorry I was butting in matters that don’t concern me. It is clear I overstepped my bounds. I’ll do my best and watch my words and respect any boundaries you set.” She adds barely above a whisper.

Quinn closes her eyes in relief, which then turns to sadness once she takes in the diva’s words. She takes a deep breath and thinks of what to say and how to phrase her apology in a way that won’t leave any doubts to its sincerity. “Rachie, I’m sorry. I should have reacted better and be less on the defensive. I’m not used to talking about my feelings. You did nothing wrong, other than care for me and want to help. I’m not used to people being able to read me so easily, so in true Fabray fashion, I freaked out. Please don’t shut me out. I’ll do my best to return the favour.” She manages to get out. “And for the record, we all want things too bad. We’re all pushy. How else do you think I got my spot back as Head Cheerio? It’s the only way to get out of this pit we call a town. And what do you mean you don’t have a lot references? I thought things weren’t bad for you until you moved and started high school at McKinley.” Quinn says surprised at how protective she feels towards the diva.

“I apologise if I’m over-sharing again, but I feel it’s the only way you’ll understand where I’m coming from.” Rachel says.

Quinn feels like slapping herself, but nods, not trusting herself to speak.

“We live in a very conservative town, Quinn. The small-minded simpletons aren’t limited to the district McKinley is located. Most of my classmates weren’t all that accepting once my family make-up became known. Most parents were afraid their children would catch and I quote, ‘the gayness’ from me, so they weren’t allowed to befriend me. Those few who had open-minded parents avoided me like the plague because they didn’t want to be shunned and/or being made fun of for being nice to me. If it weren’t for Kelly, Alex, and Gabe, I wouldn’t have had any friends growing up. No matter how things were, Kelly always stuck by me. She didn’t care about the teasing or the name calling. The three of them got into so many fights while defending me I’m surprised they don’t have a record and managed to get full scholarships for college.

“From the moment we moved to Lima and into the house next door to the Rileys, they’ve accepted my family, I didn’t know things could be so messed up until after I started kindergarten. It was always a lot easier to withdraw myself to avoid the attacks. Please have patience with me. I know I’m not very adept when it comes to certain social graces, but I can promise you that I’m a very loyal friend when given the chance. I’ll try my best to be less overbearing and I’ll watch my over eagerness.” Rachel says, trying to push the bad memories away.

Quinn’s heart shatters into a million pieces upon hearing those words. From everything she had heard and seen of the interaction between the diva and Rileys, it appeared as if Rachel led a normal and happy childhood and that her bullying only started since high school. Hearing that wasn’t the case, only makes her feel exponentially worse. Immediately, she recalls Russell’s rants about debauchery and immorality brought over by the new people who moved in and settled in the other end of the town. She remembers the rants about how ‘that abomination that dared call itself a family’ was making a mockery of real families. She remembers getting in trouble because she dared ask what was so wrong with a family with two daddies. Regardless of how things have deteriorated with Santana, she’s happy the Latina was always a dominant figure in her life because through her, Quinn learned that being gay (even a closeted one) wasn’t all the bad things Russell had tried to instil in her so hard. She closes her eyes and tries her best to reign in her anger.

Quinn thinks back to a couple of days ago and Rachel’s gift to her in the form of blind trust. She realises the diva is right. As much as trust is earned, in the end, it’s a leap of faith. There is no way of knowing when the other person is worthy enough. So she makes the decision of making that leap herself, but decides that instead of saying anything, she’ll show Rachel through her actions. She eventually manages to move so she can wrap her arms around Rachel’s slender waist. “You’re not overbearing. You are a little too caring, but that’s not a bad thing. I’m really sorry I overreacted.” She reiterates into Rachel’s hair. “Talking about the ba… Beth reopened a gaping wound and I was lashing out. I don’t know how to deal with that kind of pain. You were the unlucky recipient of my inability to cope. In time, we’ll learn how to interact around each other all the time without blunders and without misunderstandings. How about we put this little incident behind us and have ourselves some fun.” Quinn adds.

“Okay. I’m sorry again. I’ll do my best and not push you so much.” Rachel says with a sniffle.

“It wasn’t your fault. I’ll do my best and not overreact and to do my best to see past my pain and realise you have nothing but good intentions.” Quinn says. “Are you done with your homework? I still kinda have to finish that paper for Art History.” She asks once she’s comfortably propped against the headboard, still holding on to Rachel’s hand.

“Yes, I’m done with everything.” Rachel answers.

Quinn blushes. Figures Rachel would be done with everything.

“Don’t worry Quinn. Go ahead and finish it. Is there a way for me to hook up to your network or something? That way I can entertain myself while you finish.” Rachel says, guessing the reason behind the blush.

“Yeah. The password for the wireless is ‘I tawt I taw a puddy tat, dollar sign and the numbers 6 and 5. No spaces or underscores, and all lowercase.” Quinn replies.

“I never took you for a Looney Tunes fan.” Rachel says blinking.

“I am, but I didn’t set the password. My mom did. It’s her way of making fun of me for liking cartoons and that my cheerleading coach’s last name is Sylvester. I keep telling Mom I’m not all cute and cuddly. I’d say innocent, but we both know Tweety is anything but innocent. I think that canary is a conniving SOB, always trying to get poor Sylvester in trouble and enjoying it way too much.” Quinn says. “Sound like anyone you know?” She asks with a wink.

“Yes, you.” Rachel says before she burst out laughing.

Quinn feels her heart rate pick up at the sight of a laughing Rachel. She chalks it up to the intense and sudden shifts of emotions they just went through.

The brunette is holding on to her sides, trying to catch her breath. Every time she thinks she has her laughter under control, she loses it again at the sight of a pouting Quinn.

“It’s not that funny. And it’s a bad comparison because Coach isn’t a starving feline trying to eat me or destroy me. More like run me and the rest of the team ragged to get her sixth consecutive Nationals title.” Quinn huffs, causing Rachel to laugh harder, if that’s even possible.

It takes a few more minutes, but Rachel finally gets her laughing and breathing under control. “Sorry Quinn. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to see you in the same scary light as before. Every time I look at you now, all I see is you dressed as a canary, perched on a swing singing happily only to suddenly stop at the sight of Ms. Sylvester and utter those words.” Rachel says, only to dissolve in another fit of giggles. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at Ms. Sylvester in quite the same way either and not picture a scheming cat with a lisp.” Rachel says through her laughter.

Quinn should feel offended, but instead, she finds she rather enjoys seeing Rachel letting go and laughing carelessly, even if at this moment it’s at her expense.

“Next Halloween we so have to dress up like Tweety and Sylvester for the school dance…” Rachel starts to say excited, only to realise what has just come out of her mouth. Her eyes go wide before she regains some of her composure. “I, uh… I mean… that is to say… I didn’t mean to imply you’d be dateless or anything that preposterous… and I’m being pushy again…” Rachel starts to ramble, only to be cut off by a pair of fingers tracing her jaw line, making her shut her mouth and lean into those fingers.

“Shh. Calm down Rachie. I know what you mean. You were merely making plans to spend time with your friend. I get it, and I think it’s a great idea. Though I’d rather see you dressed as Dot from Animaniacs. I can’t picture you as a surly dumb cat, but I can certainly see you as this cute as a button whatever Dot Warner is. And we’ll see about me dressing as Tweety.” Quinn says with a smirk at the mental image.

“But you’d make such a cute Tweety, and… and I’m getting way ahead of myself again. Sorry. I mean, we’re not even a month past this year’s Halloween and I’m already making plans for next. I’m sorry you’re stuck with someone as pathetic as I am for a friend.” Rachel says looking down. Any trace of the happiness and mirth from just a few minutes ago completely gone.

Quinn hates herself a little bit more when she sees the shift. She can’t help but feel responsible for this insecure Rachel resurfacing around her. She wants the Rachel she spent Friday with. The playful, confident young diva who wowed a full house in a café. She wants the happy girl who was laughing as if she didn’t have a care in the world. She reaches Rachel’s chin with the index finger and thumb of her right hand and lifts her head so they’re making eye contact. Quinn feels as if the air has been knocked out of her when she sees tears have filled those beautiful cinnamon eyes. She swallows and moves her hand just so she’s cradling the diva’s face in her hand.

“Rach, I’d love to go to the Halloween dance with you next year. Regardless of what happens or who we might be dating by then. We’ll discuss the costumes to be worn though.” Quinn says with a smile that only gets bigger when she sees Rachel’s face relax as the sweetest smile tugs at those lips. “You might change your mind about the costumes once we get to know each other better.” She adds.

“I like how that sounds.” Rachel says shyly. “Okay, I’ll set up my laptop on your wireless and you can finish your homework.” She adds, leaning further into Quinn’s touch, not really making any effort to move.

“What will you do while I finish up?” Quinn asks, also not making any movement to remove her hand.

“Crossword puzzles. I haven’t really had time these last few days, so this would be the perfect opportunity for me to catch up.” Rachel says as she finally moves to grab her laptop and AC converter/charger.

Both girls feel a pang of emptiness at the loss of contact, but shake it off.

“I’ll try my best to finish editing my paper fast so you won’t get too bored.” Quinn says, as she gets up to sit by her desk.

“Oh, don’t worry. I do more than one puzzle, so by the time I get to all of them, you should have ample time to do a good job with your paper. Don’t rush on my account.” Rachel says absently as she plugs the AC adapter into Quinn’s power surge bar.

“Er, Rach, how many puzzles do you normally do?” Quinn asks.

“Six. One each from the New York Times, Washington Post, L.A. Times, USA Today, and two from The Toronto Star. They all vary in difficulty, so while some I’ll breeze through, the ones from the New York Times and Washington Post usually keep me challenged enough.” Rachel says with a shrug of her shoulders.

“It certainly explains where you get your crazy vocabulary from. At least it’s not like Santana said and you didn’t swallow a dictionary and a thesaurus as a toddler.” Quinn says with a chuckle as she gets settled on her desk. “Do you want anything to drink or eat while we do this?” She asks.

“Quinn, we just had brunch.” Rachel says. It’s then that she realises something. “Quinn, did I prevent you from partaking on your regular Sunday worship? I could have come by later, since I’m spending the night.” Rachel adds, looking at her feet.

“No, Rach. I’ve been having a hard time reconciling my belief in God, religion and how I’ve been treated once my pregnancy became public. I never thought that I’d be homeless and shunned by most of the church because of a mistake.” Quinn says sadly.

“I’m sorry Quinn. I didn’t mean to bring back painful memories for you.” Rachel says as she takes Quinn’s hand in her own.

“You didn’t. I brought the topic up, kinda.” Quinn says squeezing the hand holding hers. “Now, I’m going to finish my homework so that we can goof off the rest of the time you’re here.” She says with a smirk as she reluctantly extricates her hand from Rachel’s grasp and moves to her desk.

Once again, both girls are left with an empty feeling at the loss of contact. Within minutes, Quinn is busy with her homework, and Rachel loses herself in her crosswords. Throughout the time, both girls can’t help but sneak glances whenever one is sure the other isn’t looking.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Well, as of now, all published chapters are up here and elsewhere. I'm slowly working on more.  
> \- I'm still deciding what to use and discard from the canon universe. For now, the only thing I know for sure is that Quinn won't get back together with Finn. The way I've written her would make that a complete 180. Not that it stopped RM & Co. from going there, but at least I think I have a bit more common sense.  
> \- Self-edited, so as always, mistakes are always mine. If (when) you see a misspelling, the wrong word used, wrong verb tense, or any other grammatical oops, please let me know, and I'll edit it. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 9

 

Rachel has a hard time concentrating on her crosswords. Eventually, she gives up all pretense and stares blankly at her laptop monitor while she finally allows her mind to wander. She can’t help but replay what happened with Quinn moments before. Once again she rushed things. She should have listened to Kelly. She should have agreed to spend the day with Quinn but politely postpone the sleepover until their friendship developed further. Instead, she let wishful thinking and her desire to have friends bury her common sense. She wasn’t joking when she had told Quinn she has no idea what the proper etiquette would be during a ‘normal’ sleepover. She has known the Rileys from such an early age, which combined with her fathers’ work schedule and commuting time, sleeping over at the Rileys was a common occurrence. Rachel always got along swimmingly with both Riley children, despite the age difference. Then reality reared its ugly head. As eager as she was with making more friends once she started school, all the kids in her class hadn’t shared her enthusiasm. Rachel had befriended the Rileys so easily that she had thought it would have been the same with everyone else. She learned at a very early age that different or unique isn’t always good and that acceptance and tolerance are just words with no real meaning to most people.

Maybe if she plays her cards right, Rachel thinks she has a chance to reverse her blunder and salvage this friendship. While Quinn is finishing her homework, Rachel gives herself what she thinks are acceptable boundaries. Mainly, she forces herself to watch her clinginess and the ever present urge to share her opinion on everything under the sun, especially if it’s unwanted or if it involves another person. Finn and Jesse always told her she had to stop being so nosy. Puck always said she needed to loosen up and act less like his mother and more like a teenager. All three boys had said in their own way what a turn off her nagging had been. She always thought she was being caring and helpful. She had tried using her relationship with Kelly as a guide, but they’ve always been more like siblings and their boundaries were always out of whack with the rest of the world. It was just lucky for her that it had worked out in her benefit. She promises she will hold back because she doesn’t want to scare one of the two only friends she has at McKinley. She hopes she’s not too late. It’s nice to have a female friend who isn’t hundreds of miles away. Her friendship with Puck isn’t the same, not because of their different genders, but because their dynamic is totally different. She knows that with him, it had started as a way for him to repay her kindness for helping his mom and sister while he was serving his sentence.

*********

The remainder of the day passes by without any major incidents. Rachel admits that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a very good show. The writing is witty and it’s nice change to see strong and mostly independent women as the heroes and some of the main antagonists. She tells Quinn as much, only to receive a very smug ‘told ya so’ from her (she hopes) new friend. She happily helps Judy with dinner while Quinn goes over which routines her Cheerios need to practice. Other than music, getting lost in a recipe has always been soothing for Rachel, and this time, it’s no different. So far, she has managed to do as she had set out, and as far as she’s concerned, everything is back on track with Quinn. Holding back is a bit tougher than expected, but if the end result is friend (a real one), it’s worth the effort. The diva smiles and pats herself (figuratively) on the back for a job well done so far.

*********

Quinn suppresses a sigh yet again. By the time they’re done with dinner, she’s sure things are off. It’s not as if Rachel is treating her poorly, but she isn’t the same girl she spent last couple of days with. After their earlier mishap, Rachel has become somewhat withdrawn and aloof. There’s this undercurrent of awkwardness that reminds her too much of their past interactions in school. Rachel has been polite but she’s clearly making a conscious effort to keep their conversations from getting too personal, which in turn has Rachel being very respectful of Quinn’s personal space. She really dislikes this version of Rachel, especially after knowing the girl under the mask. She silently curses Russell’s ability to influence her life even after he no longer lives with her and her mom.

For as long as she can remember, Quinn has successfully kept herself from getting too close to others and by default, keeping others from getting too close to her. Throughout her life she has learned that sooner or later, people disappoint you. It’s only a matter of time before those claiming to love you to turn around and rip your heart out, break it to tiny pieces and then stomp on the remains just to ensure maximum damage is done. Russell kicking her out while her mother stood by and did nothing only reinforced the need to always keep her heart protected. So the moment she felt Rachel successfully chip away her walls in a matter of days, she did the one thing she promised she wouldn’t do. In her haste to protect herself, she inadvertently hurt the little diva. Now Quinn finds herself in a position she never thought she’d ever be in. Not only does she need to make amends, but she also needs to learn to fight the urge to build another stronger wall. At least with Rachel. She likes the person she is when she’s with the diva.

“Rach? Can we, I mean, may we talk?” Quinn asks with a shake of her head, remembering Rachel’s teasing just a few days ago.

Rachel smiles at Quinn’s words, thinking about that afternoon back in her kitchen as well. Her face drops when she sees the determination on Quinn’s face. Automatically, she thinks she did something wrong again. “I’m sorry. I honestly thought I was doing a good job from invading your privacy. I’ll try harder. Please don’t be angry with me.” She answers pleadingly.

Quinn closes her eyes and swallows the lump in her throat. She really has to fix this. She wants her confident friend back. “Please don’t apologise. I’m the one who needs to. I’m really sorry, Rach.” She says.

“We both agreed to put the past behind us and move on.” Rachel replies. Another apology from Quinn was the last thing she was expecting. She wants to say more, but clamps down on the urge. This is so not the time to start one of her unwelcomed observations.

“We did, but that’s not why I’m apologising. I broke my promise to you, Kelly, Alex and Gabe by hurting you again. I’m sorry for doing that.” Quinn admits.

“That wasn’t your fault, Quinn. I know you didn’t do it on purpose, so you didn’t break any promises. I overreacted, and if anything, I broke my word. I said I’d trust you, yet I made the wrong assumptions. I know what happened earlier was entirely me. I should have realised I was making you uncomfortable. I should have known that calling me out didn’t mean you were automatically asking me to leave. It’s not an excuse, but I was so intent in helping you I forgot to take your feelings into account, and whether or not my help was needed and most importantly, wanted in the first place.” Rachel says seriously.

“I hate how my overreacting earlier has changed things between us. I truly dislike how guarded you’re around me again. It feels so weird after the last few days.” Quinn says as she takes a step closer to Rachel and reaches for the diva’s hand.

Rachel’s eyes open wide. She was sure she was the only one who noticed the awkwardness. Then again, she really shouldn’t be so surprised. The two of them have always been able to push each other’s buttons almost effortlessly in the past. Logically, that should only be possible if they were always aware of each other’s feelings and behaviour. Maybe those boundaries have to be set by both of them. So after a little bit of hesitation, she decides to say what is (at least a somewhat edited version) in her mind. “I thought you’d welcome the distance. I thought you’d be happy I’m making an effort to stop meddling.” She says as she looks at their joined hands. She’s so afraid of doing something dumb again, that instead of lacing their fingers together as she would have done before ‘the incident’, Rachel just lets her hand sit limply in Quinn’s hand. She doesn’t want to get distracted. She needs to make sure to pay attention so she won’t miss any cues that would indicate Quinn is getting uncomfortable.

“I don’t want that. You’re not meddling.” Quinn says with a shake of her head for added emphasis. Before she blew it by being a Fabray, Rachel would start playing with her fingers the second their hands would come in contact while talking a mile a minute. Now? Now the same little and very unmanly hand sits awkwardly in hers while Rachel thinks about each word that leaves her mouth. Quinn hates that.

“But the way you reacted was so similar to how you were in the summer soon after my mom adopted Elizabeth.” Rachel points out in a whisper, looking almost frightened.

“Gut reaction. I know it’s a poor excuse, but it was reflex born from many years of living under Russell’s thumb and scrutiny.” Quinn says with sigh.

“Regardless of the reason, you were unhappy with how I went about events in your life and feelings that I don’t understand. I should have known better.” Rachel says sadly.

“While I don’t deny I was really thrown by how the topic of the conversation made me feel, I could have handled myself a lot better.” Quinn says, surprised that letting her guard down this time, isn’t as hard. Not that she’s ready to completely bare her soul, but at least she’s not shutting down completely either.

“I overstepped my bounds. We’ve only been friends for a short period of time. It was too soon for me to offer my unwanted opinion and advice. It’s natural for you to resent my meddling, especially with such personal issues as what we were discussing earlier.” Rachel tries again, only to be interrupted by Quinn’s fingers on her lips.

“Please let me finish before I lose my nerve.” Quinn asks.

“You’re not forced to share anything personal with me. Just because I did, it doesn’t mean you have to as well. I’m sorry I was pushing you.” Rachel says with a sad smile.

“I know I’m not forced to talk to you, but I need to explain my behaviour better.” Quinn says. She smiles when she sees Rachel’s reluctant nod.

“I was being very unfair. I was the one who suggested we always act like our true selves and that we’d talk about things to avoid misunderstandings, yet I was holding back earlier and let you believe you were the one who messed up. That’s the furthest thing from the truth. I freaked out because you know me better than anyone I’ve ever met. I’ve been so used to hiding under my façade that it shook me to the core you were able to read me so easily. People who’ve my friends for years are easily fooled and I never have to reveal anything that is too personal. I guess they’re all so busy trying to protect their own image that they’re oblivious to anything around them.

“Russell has been out of my life since he kicked me out, but I still allow his words affect how I behave. Our friendship is a bit confusing to me because it’s so different from everything I’ve known. I like that I can speak to you so easily, but at the same time, I’m scared to death because I’ve never been this open with anyone. I find myself saying things to you before I’m even conscious I’m doing it. Then my brain catches up and I freak out. I’ve never talked to anyone about Beth or my relationship with my mom. It’s all so different from how I’ve been raised. Russell drilled it in my sister and me that only the weak show their feelings. That only the weak ask for and accept help. He always said that the more information people have on us, the more vulnerable to attack we become. I’ve hidden behind a mask of indifference for so long that it has become second nature. When I realised how easy it was for me to talk to you, and how easy it was for you to see the real me, I panicked. I didn’t want you to see me as weak. I still don’t. I hate that my stupidity set us back to the point that you’re back to acting like the girl you show the rest of McKinley, instead of this really cool girl I know you are. I’m really sorry. I trust you more than I’ve ever trusted anyone before and it’s really scary because it’s something that I’ve never had.” Quinn says.

“What about Santana and Brittany? Aren’t they your closest friends?” Rachel asks. “Sorry.” She mumbles once she realises she’s straying out of line again.

“They’re not. I never let them. Those two have their own issues as well. As much as I care about them, our friendship has always been more one of convenience.” Quinn admits, ignoring Rachel’s apology and the urge to bang her head against her desk.

“I’m sure they care about you and your friendship means a lot to them as well.” Rachel says a little less hesitant when Quinn answers without a second thought.

“It’s complicated. I blamed them for how they reacted and treated me when my pregnancy became public fodder. I never stopped to consider that maybe they were hurt because they found out from Puck instead of me. I’ve accepted that it was as much my fault as theirs. They could have been better friends, but then the same could be said about me.” Quinn says.

“It’s never too late. I can see that Santana and Brittany miss you. I...” Rachel says before she cuts herself off.

“What were you going to say?” Quinn asks. “Please Rach. I promise that you can say and ask me anything and I’ll do my best to answer honestly. I know it’s not fair of me to say this, but please don’t punish me for one mistake. I don’t deserve any more chances, but I’m selfish enough to ask.” She adds when she sees the reluctance in Rachel’s face.

Rachel takes a deep breath as she looks into Quinn’s eyes. “You don’t have to listen to anything I have to say on this matter if you don’t feel comfortable or if you think it’s none of my business...” She starts to ramble, only to be cut off by Quinn’s fingers on her lips again.

“Rach, just talk. I trust you. It’s a weird feeling not having to watch every step I make or every word I say, but I like it. Again, just, you know, have a bit of patience because I know I’ll mess up from time to time.” Quinn says.

Rachel nods again. She makes the decision to once again follow her heart and tell her head to shove it. After all, isn’t there some saying that goes ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained’? “Did you really tell Ms. Sylvester about Santana’s breast augmentation?” She asks.

“Why are you asking me?” Quinn asks taken aback. That was the last thing she expected. She looks at Rachel’s panicking face and realises how her tone of voice might have sounded. “It’s all right Rach. I just wasn’t expecting that question.” She adds with a gentle smile, still not letting go of Rachel’s hand.

“After the last couple of days, I find it difficult to accept and believe that you’d betray your friends in such a way. So I’m sure that if Santana knows the truth, she’ll be amenable to repair your broken friendship.” Rachel replies. The smile on Quinn’s face lets the diva know that maybe things are really getting back on track.

“Not that it matters to most, but I didn’t. Everyone assumes I told Coach in order to get back on the squad and to be named Head Cheerio again. I played the forgiveness card and how the local churches would eat up that she’d be giving a girl who clearly made a mistake a second chance. I said that they’d be impressed Coach was willing to help me from going astray again. She knew I was full of crap, but she was impressed by the lengths of my manipulation and saw I’d be right. That’s why she gave me the captaincy back. She said my scheming reminded her of a young Sue Sylvester. I have no clue how she found out about Santana’s surgery; then again, one would have to be blind to not know. It was obvious Santana had a boob job. You don’t go up nearly two cup sizes by sheer will power.” Quinn answers. “Thank you for believing in me. It means a lot because no one else has even given me the benefit of the doubt. Not even Brittany.” She adds.

“I’ve always believed you’re a good person, Quinn.” Rachel replies shyly.

“See? I’ve never talked about this with anyone before. With you it’s effortless. I open my mouth and next thing I know, I’m baring my soul to you. So back to our earlier conversation, you did nothing wrong.” Quinn admits with a shake of her head.

“Are you sure? I know I was being clingy and needy. Finn has always said my desperation for friends is the reason I don’t have any. Jesse used to say I don’t know what boundaries are when it comes to prying or sharing my opinion with others.” Rachel admits.

“Finn’s an idiot. He’s the same guy who called you a hippo so what would he know? Jesse is a manipulative asshole. It’s a classic tactic of finding someone’s insecurities and exploiting them.” Quinn replies. “Has Puck ever said anything that insensitive to you?” She asks.

“Not really. He can and has been insensitive, but since we’ve become friends, it’s usually not directed at me anymore. Our friendship is different. Most of the time, it feels as if I’m taking care of him. I make him study and pay attention to his school work so he remains eligible for football. He makes me relax by having me play his video games. We usually don’t talk about anything that’s too personal. It’s because of him that I own a Nintendo Wii.” Rachel answers.

“That certainly explains a lot. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what the two of you had in common. He hasn’t tried to pressure you into anything you’re not ready for, is he? I know the two of you dated for like a week or so last year.” Quinn asks.

“No, he hasn’t. That was definitely an error in judgement from both our parts. We started dating because we both were trying to use the other to try and forget who we really wanted to be with. Maybe hoping to spark a bit jealousy as well. It was ill fated from the beginning.” Rachel answers before she sighs and stops talking, still afraid of over sharing.

“Don’t feel bad about that. It’s no worse than me dating Sam. He may like me, but I knew we were using each other to boost our popularity.” Quinn says with a self-deprecating smile.

“Quinn, how do I know if I’m meddling in issues that don’t concern me? I don’t want to cause you undue stress or pain by bringing up topics you’re not comfortable with or topics you don’t wish to share or simply topics you’re not ready to face yet. I also don’t want to over share. I know I talk a lot, and I’m used to Kelly listening to everything and anything I have to say. I don’t want to overwhelm you or bore you with details of my life you’re not interested in. Like yourself, I find myself being so at ease with you that I forget we haven’t been friends since forever like I am with Kel.” Rachel asks.

Quinn has to fight the urge to apologise again. She’s also happy she’s not the only one that feels this (sudden?) instant connection with the diva once she got over herself. “You’re not meddling. I meant what I said yesterday. I want to know everything about you. In return, I’d like it if you knew everything about me as well. This is my leap of faith because I know you’re not like the others. I don’t have to be perfect for you. I like having someone who just gets me, even if it scared the living daylights out of me and still might. Just have patience with me.” Quinn pleads.

“I’d like that. How do we start?” Rachel asks.

Quinn is ecstatic they have made so much progress, but she still doesn’t like how Rachel is asking that. She gets is though. Rachel would have to an idiot if she didn’t guard herself from further hurt. “I start by not overreacting and not letting my fears get to me. We work on talking about our feelings and our thoughts to avoid misunderstandings. I’ll do my best to stop snapping and pushing you away if we talk about something I’m not comfortable with. I’ll learn to tell you to give me a bit of time before I lash out. You just keep being the good friend you are.” She answers.

“I’ll do my best to be less sensitive.” Rachel adds.

Quinn nods. Things could have gone better, but at least they’re talking again. She’ll just have to show Rachel through actions. “Want to watch a few more eps of Buffy before we call it a night? We barely got through half of the first season.” She asks instead. She knows she did the right thing with the subject change when she sees Rachel relax, something that she would have missed a mere days before.

“I’d like that.” Rachel answers.

Quinn does a happy dance in hear head when Rachel is once again playing with her fingers.

A few hours later, Rachel reaches for her phone after Quinn yawns. She gasps when sees the time. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry for keeping you up this late. It’s close to eleven and you have early morning Cheerios practice in the morning.” She babbles.

“Relax Rach. I’ll be fine. It’s not that much later than my usual bedtime.” Quinn says with an amused smile. “Do you still want me to take your things to school? If you do, I’ll need your locker combo.” She adds.

“If it’s not too much trouble, then yes please. I’d hate to skip my workout because I have no access to my elliptical.” Rachel says as she searches for a piece of paper.

“What are you doing?” Quinn asks.

“Uh, looking for something to write down my locker combination. I, uh, thought the blonde thing was nothing more than a cliché.” Rachel answers somewhat confused.

“I have a better idea.” Quinn says as she picks up her phone and hands it to Rachel. “Type it on the ‘Notes’ app. We won’t risk the paper getting lost and some idiot getting a hold of it.” She adds.

“That’s a great idea, Quinn. And it’s one less piece of paper wasted. Mother Nature will definitely be grateful.” Rachel gushes.

“Not bad for a natural blonde, huh?” Quinn teases.

“Not bad at all. Keep it up, and I might go back to thinking the dumb blonde thing is just another tired cliché.” Rachel says with a playful smile. “Thanks for doing this for me.” She adds as she returns Quinn’s phone.

“My pleasure.” Quinn says.

Soon, both girls go about finishing their night time routines and are in bed within minutes.

*********

Quinn groans when her iPod comes to life at five forty-five a.m. She’s not sure what’s worse. Have Cheerios practice first thing in the morning when she resembles a zombie until the caffeine kicks in. Or after school when she’s fully awake, but tired after a full day of classes. She’s surprised that Rachel is already up and gone from the room. She assumes the diva is in the en suite getting ready, so she goes in to her walk in closet to get dressed. She emerges five minutes later in her practice uniform. All that’s left to do is put her hair in a high pony tail. It’s crazy that Coach demands they look their best even when they’re training with no other soul around them. She nearly jumps out of her skin when she sees Rachel packing her things into her duffle bag.

“Holy crap. I wasn’t expecting you out of the bathroom so soon. How long have you been up?” Quinn says with a hand on her chest. “Oh, and good morning, Rach.” She adds sheepishly.

“Good morning Quinn. I’ve been up for about fifteen minutes or so. My internal clock actually wakes me up before most alarms do. I figured we’d need to hurry if you’re to make it on time for your Cheerios practice and still be able to put my things in my locker. Will you have enough time to eat anything before we have to leave?” Rachel answers.

“I can’t. At most, I have a Power Gel and water so I won’t drop dead. I’d end up with the cramps from hell if I had a full breakfast. Coach’s workouts are insanely intense.” Quinn answers as she sits in front of her vanity and puts her hair up.

“Yech. How can you stand the taste and texture? Why not try something a bit easier to digest that tastes a lot better? Like a Gu gel? They’re still nasty, but at least they don’t taste like paste mixed with sand. The serving size is a bit smaller, but it delivers the same benefits.” Rachel says as she grabs one from her bag and shows it to Quinn.

“I never heard of those. If you have any extra, do you mind if I try one?” Quinn asks.

“Not at all, but I suggest you try that in your own time. You don’t know how your body will react to the sudden change and I don’t want you to suffer the consequences in the middle of Ms. Sylvester’s crazy practices. I’ll bring a few extra with me tomorrow and give them to you at school.” Rachel answers.

“You think something smaller than this will make that much of a difference?” Quinn asks holding a packet of Power Gel.

“You never know. In essence, all energy gels are about the same in that they’re designed to provide us with quick-release carbs for energy with some electrolytes to offset what we’ll lose during a heavy workout regimen. Gu gels have added amino acids in them. If your body isn’t used to those extra ingredients, or if your digestive system is ultra sensitive, you still may end up with cramps. Just not as bad as a full breakfast though. So I suggest trying it out on the weekend.” Rachel says. “Sorry. I got excited again. I didn’t mean to ramble.” She adds.

“Don’t be. I’m just surprised you know all this. I, uh, kinda thought, like everyone else that you live, breathe, eat and sleep Broadway. And to clarify, I was surprised in a good way. You’re like a gift within a gift. Unexpected, but so nice.” Quinn answers as she puts a hand on Rachel’s forearm. “Oh, and I think you’re right. I shouldn’t try something new when I know Coach will try to kill us after four days of doing nothing but fatten ourselves during Thanksgiving break. Her words, not mine.” She adds with a light chuckle.

“I... thank you for your kind words Quinn. But as much as I appreciate them, I know I have to watch my rambling so it doesn’t become annoying.” Rachel says.

Quinn knows the steps back they took yesterday in their friendship won’t be overcome immediately. All she can do is show Rachel and herself that her words aren’t just window dressing. That she means them. “Come on Rach. I need to eat that nasty thing, drink some water and get my stuff ready and come back up to brush my teeth.” She says as she pulls Rachel towards the door.

They leave fifteen minutes later, after agreeing on meeting by Rachel’s car so they can go out for a quick breakfast by the Starbucks that conveniently opened near McKinley.

*********

Quinn is unusually quiet during practice. The only one she gives full answers to is Coach Sylvester. Brittany and Santana get one word answers. The rest are lucky to get a nod or a grunt. While they run at the “leisurely” pace of two and a half minute per lap, her mind wanders off to Rachel’s words the day before. She wouldn’t have ever imagined that the confident diva she sees on a day-to-day basis has so many insecurities. Then she imagines that Rachel, like her, projects a different persona while in public. She imagines the self-confident diva who lets insults slide off of her like she’s covered in Teflon is her way of protecting herself from further humiliation and bullying. She has always been told that if others don’t know they’re affecting you in a negative way, they eventually stop because they’re not getting the reaction they crave. She wonders why that has never worked with Rachel. She wonders why everyone is so intent in making Rachel’s life a living hell at every opportunity they get.

Learning that Rachel’s bullying wasn’t limited to McKinley and that adults had no qualms treating her poorly certainly had been an eye-opener. Finding out about some of the things that Finn and Jesse had said to her while they were dating Rachel only gets her angrier. Quinn tries to squash her guilt because she knows she’s responsible for a big part of Rachel’s bullying at McKinley. She thinks that part of it is because Rachel has the audacity to be herself and not buckle down to peer pressure. Quinn is sure other reasons include their jealousy of the girl’s talent. Everyone knows that unless something horrible happens, Rachel will be one of the few who will make it out of Lima; that it’s only a matter of time before Rachel Berry is synonymous with Broadway living out her dream.

Quinn wonders what would have happened if the Berrys hadn’t moved in order to keep Rachel away from Shelby. Would she have had better luck in Carmel? Clearly, their show choir is revered, instead of being ridiculed the way it is in McKinley. She wonders if jealousy might have played a part as well and the students at Carmel would have singled Rachel out just for being the best singer there. She likes to think that wouldn’t have been the case because the rest of Vocal Adrenaline followed Jesse like lost puppies just because he was their best singer. She also knows that Kelly would have protected Rachel.

Maybe some of the bullying is because Rachel, no matter what, has always walked the halls of McKinley and around Lima with her head held high. Maybe some of them just want to watch Rachel break, so they keep the relentless bullying hoping that if and when the girl breaks, it’ll make their miserable lives seem better. After all, before things went to hell and back between her and Fran, her sister had said that in her psych 101 class she read that most bullies intimidate and lash out because they are insecure themselves, or something along those lines. She had been livid at the implications, but in reality, the words hit a little too close to home.

Quinn is brought out of her musings when she overhears some of what her teammates are saying as they run laps. She bites back her anger and the immediate need to verbally eviscerate them right away. As much as they trust each other to physically toss and catch each other in some of the crazier stunts Coach has them perform, the reality is that they’re either harpies hell-bent on becoming the next Head Cheerio or followers afraid to rock the boat. Whoever has that title can practically choose any of the colleges that offer cheerleading scholarships at their own leisure. Everyone knows that if you’re good enough to have Sue Sylvester name you captain, then you’re good enough to make any college cheerleader team proud. They wouldn’t hesitate in stabbing someone in the back if it meant they’d be one step closer to her position. She had never deluded herself into thinking they were all friends. As much as she hates to admit that it hurt when they all turned their backs on her when her pregnancy became public fodder, it wasn’t unexpected. If anything, what was unexpected was that their behaviour hadn’t been more vicious.

What is somewhat of a surprise is that Santana has left her alone for however long they’ve been running laps. Quinn was sure Santana would try and corner her the first chance she got and demand why all of a sudden she’s on Rachel’s side. God knows she was one of the people blowing up her phone that day after the auditorium incident. She sighs before she puts back her HBIC mask on and puts a stop to the chattering before it becomes true insubordination.

*********

“What do you think is wrong with the Ice Queen?” Megan asks once Coach Sylvester has given control of the practice over to their captain because she ‘refused to witness their fat and sloppy bodies after a mere four-day break, so it was up to Quinn to shape them up in time for their next practice.’

“Rumour has it that the Loser Brigade lost it on the Tranny when she demanded to be the centre of attention again. Seems that for once, the other losers wouldn’t give in. I heard that if it wasn’t for Puck and dummy over there, the Ice Queen would have taken all the losers on her own. She’s just licking her wounded pride because Fabray hates to have her plans fucked. She couldn’t be the hero, so she’s pissed she has to be nice to the Tranny longer than she has to just to get her revenge.” Sarah wheezes out as they run laps on the track.

“Maybe, but I’ll bet it’s because Papa Fabray left with that tattooed freak and took all the perks with him and the Ice Queen had to spend her first major holiday like a commoner. I’m surprised they can still afford to live in that big mansion. We know who the real bread winner in that family was.” Ashleigh says, panting slightly. “Do you guys really think the Ice Queen would go through all that trouble just to humiliate Berry?” She adds.

“Of course. The Ice Queen has to be pissed the Tranny managed to get Puck to commit when she couldn’t even do it with a bun in the oven. She’s gonna go for something epic to destroy the competition and nab her man up for good.” Megan says breathing hard.

“God! She’s like a fucking robot. Running around and barely breathing hard and barely breaking a sweat. Must be the ice water she has for blood that keeps her from sweating.” Sarah whines when she notices Quinn is running as if they’re jogging at a leisurely pace.

“Ha! That, and the fact her heart has shrivelled up so it can barely pump that ice water through her veins. That’s why she gave away her kid so easily.” Megan says in what she hopes is indifference, but it comes out as nothing more than a winded whisper.

Quinn grabs the whistle dangling from her neck and blasts it as loud as she can, startling just about everyone on the field. They all rush and gather around their captain, wondering what’s going on. Usually, when Coach lets Quinn take charge after a holiday break, they do a few laps to warm up and then they head to the weight room so they can slowly get their bodies used to the physical demands of being Cheerios worthy enough to have Sue Sylvester spewing insults at them. Heaven knows that after gorging themselves silly with the typical Thanksgiving fare, they’re moving with as much energy as molasses going uphill.

“I see that Coach was wrong and you guys don’t need the easy transition to her usual pace. If you can run ten-minute mile laps and chit chat, then you lot certainly aren’t being worked hard enough. I want everyone to do nothing but suicides and wind sprints for the remaining of practice. I’ll be timing you. If I’m not happy with your times, you’ll show up an hour early next practice and do them again, before you join the rest for our regular practice. If I have to wake up earlier than usual, you’ll find out that the workouts Coach puts us through are nothing more than child’s play. Do I make myself clear?” Quinn says casually. She gets incredulous and envious looks once they realise she looks as if she has just started to jog.

“Yes, Quinn.” All the girls answer in near perfect unison. A few shoot pointed glares at the biggest and loudest gossip-mongers amongst them. They could have at least waited until practice was done and Quinn wasn’t around to hear them.

“B, grab me the training laptop by my water bottle, please.” Quinn says. “The rest of you, better get started.” She adds with a raised eyebrow.

The rest of the squad scrambles to the centre of the football field and start setting up cones while shooting one last venomous look at the culprits.

Quinn makes her way to the make-shift bench set up by the girls and silently hooks up the laptop to a set of speakers. Soon, the familiar program with regular beeps breaks the silence. They know they’ll have to reach the end of each cone interval by the time each beep sounds or they’ll be out of sync and be determined too slow.

The remaining time is spent in a gruelling workout that consists of said suicides and wind sprints, with a ‘few’ added conditioning exercises to ‘limber them up’ for tomorrow. She stops short of working them all into exhaustion because it’s always a fine balance between getting her revenge and having it backfire the following day and they can’t finish a single routine when Coach Sylvester is back at the helm.

Thankfully, no one has to show up early the next morning and deal with Quinn’s wrath. Knowing their luck, if one failed, their captain would have probably forced them all to show up for the extra workouts. The only ones that don’t look like death warmed over are coincidentally, the members of what used to be known as the Unholy Trinity before Babygate. They all look around at the (mostly) panting messes while they wait for Quinn to officially dismiss them.

“Colour me surprised. You actually survived. Barely, but you made it. Coach will be happy to know that she shouldn’t have any problems tomorrow. Do not make me regret backing off slightly towards the end because you all know I wasn’t completely done with my usual tune up. You’re dismissed.” Quinn says in such a way that cements her reputation as their HBIC. Without another word, she leaves for the Cheerios locker room.

“I never thought I’d ever hear myself say this, but for once, I wished it was Coach who was in charge of working us back into shape. That was insane.” Brittany says softly.

“What the fuck crawled up Quinn’s ass?” Santana asks once she thinks Quinn is out of hearing range. She was one of the few who hadn’t heard the gossip earlier. She’d never admit it, but part of her is afraid this was a result of what transpired during their last Glee meeting. She’s still unsure why Quinn suddenly has taken Rachel Berry as her latest charity case.

“Q heard a few girls gossiping about her. They were saying mean things about her and Rachel. I think she decided that she’d really be the ice queen some of the girls in the squad call her.” Brittany says.

Quinn does a double take once she overhears that little exchange. She always thought Brittany was always in her own world and would be oblivious to everything else. She suddenly feels bad and thinks that she has been unfair, and like the rest, she had misjudged Brittany and dismissed her solely by her eccentricities. As she makes her way to Rachel’s car, Quinn thinks that she might have to look into some anger management sessions because hearing those girls gossip about her made her want to punch them much in a similar way she did with Sam just a week ago. Instead, she (barely) managed to focus her anger in a way that it got the message across while still getting her revenge. Maybe this week won’t be as bad as she thought it’d be. She’s positive the entire squad knows not to mess with her now that she’s back on top, she worked out the obscenely delicious breakfast Rachel had made them last Friday, and the crazy brunch her mom made for them just yesterday. She’s brought out of her thoughts by Rachel’s greeting.

*********

The drive to the Starbucks is done in a comfortable silence. They get their orders and settle down in one of the quieter tables.

“Are you planning on going back to Glee this afternoon?” Quinn asks.

“Yes.” Rachel answers before she’s interrupted.

“Why? They’re just going to treat you even worse because in their minds, you’re crawling back to them.” Quinn asks shocked.

“Because if I quit, that means New Directions is ineligible to compete. And as much as I dislike how I’m treated, everyone has worked so hard since joining. I don’t want all our hard work to be in vain.” Rachel answers with a small shrug.

“They, we don’t deserve such loyalty from you, Rach. They were horrible to you last practice. It wasn’t just then. It’s everything leading up to Sectionals and what happened before we went on stage.” Quinn counters.

“I know you like glee and you like performing. I saw how proud you were when you got to sing that duet in competition. Regardless of my less than stellar words, you were very good. Returning to glee so you can continue to sing is a way for me to make amends for calling you and Sam Ken and Barbie. Besides, your mom would miss the chance to see you perform again. She was so proud of you. I couldn’t do that to her if I were to quit and you guys couldn’t find a replacement in time. Even Santana admitted to liking glee so much that she and Brittany stopped their original plan to sabotage us. As much as Kel or my family say I don’t need glee club to pad my college applications, I know that’s not true. There has to be something to make me stand out enough for those colleges to grant me an audition. The other clubs I belong to aren’t the right kind to showcase my vocals and there’s no guarantee they’ll bother to watch or listen to any sample I send in with my applications. But if they see that I was part of glee club, it may be enough.” Rachel answers with a small sigh.

“I’m very grateful, but my mom’s wish to see me perform or how much I like or don’t like glee shouldn’t be part of the reasons for your decision to return to glee. The others will treat you even worse, Rach. There has to be another way.” Quinn says a little more subdued. She knows she doesn’t know enough about requirements for the colleges and the programs Rachel is interested in, but the girl’s answer makes sense.

“It isn’t just you, Quinn. It’s others like Tina and Mike. They may not have been my friends, but they were never truly horrendous to me either. Don’t you remember what we all said when we thought it was the end after we failed to place last year? No matter what, we all love glee. I can’t just take that way from everyone because my feelings were hurt. I’m one of the co-captains. It’s my responsibility to ensure the team goes on. As much as I hate to admit it, glee isn’t just about me or my needs.” Rachel answers.

“Wouldn’t the workshops you’ve taken in the summers or letters of recommendations from your vocal coaches and dance instructors be enough?” Quinn asks as a last ditch effort to convince the diva. The others should be the ones asking Rachel to return. New Directions wouldn’t have gone as far as it has, had it not been for Rachel’s stubbornness and dedication.

“I don’t think so. They’re just local instructors. I’m sure it’ll help a little, but without glee, I wouldn’t have any actual performing experience. The workshops I’ve participated in haven’t put on any shows yet. So even if I’m relegated to backup vocals for the rest of New Directions’ existence, it would help me in the same way being a Cheerio would help your other teammates.” Rachel replies resigned.

“There has to be another way, Rach. You were one hundred percent right last practice. I get that we’re young and stupid, so I can accept us being morons, but Mr. Schue never had the right to treat you the way he’s been. As an adult he should know better.” Quinn counters.

“If that were the case, Ms. Sylvester wouldn’t be so unscrupulous either. She wouldn’t encourage the social hierarchy so much. Just because someone is an adult, it doesn’t mean they’re not unwise.” Rachel says sadly.

“How about Ms. Corcoran? You said she blacklisted Jesse and he had to settle for UCLA instead of New York. Couldn’t she get you in to the college of your dreams?” Quinn asks.

“I thought about it a lot. My mom would, and could do it. But it would raise unwanted questions. Shelby Corcoran has no reason to do such a thing for me. I’ve never been her student. The moment she does it’s only be a matter of time before the theatre community would know she’s my mother. Then I’d forever be judged by being her daughter, and not by my own merits. I’d never know if I got a part because I’m good or because my mom’s name got it for me. Critics wouldn’t be fair to me. I’d be critiqued a lot harsher and harder than any up and coming starlet. I know I’m good, but I don’t know if I can survive that. I think for now, it’s best if no one knows of my relationship with my mom.” Rachel answers.

“You mean, they don’t know?” Quinn asks.

“For now, no one knows. Remember, Mom used her middle name for the contract when she agreed to be my surrogate. I’m sure we could spin the story so that the press would be told she did it not just for the money, but for the more altruistic reason of giving a gay couple a child since adoption for same sex couples is still a big no-no in most states.” Rachel answers.

“What’s stopping St. Douche Bag from saying something to get back at Ms. Corcoran for blacklisting him?” Quinn asks.

“He never knew Shelby is my mom. If he were to find out because of my mom’s recommendation for me, then it would be a big scandal. So for now, it’s better if that remains a secret. Neither of us is ready to deal with the repercussions.” Rachel says closing her eyes.

“I wish there was a different way.” Quinn says after a moment of silence.

“Oh, my return won’t be totally altruistic. The rest of glee want me to sway in the background, sing nothing but backup vocals and remain quiet, then by god that’s what they’ll get. I know after what happened, Mr. Schuester will punish me by not giving me another solo. Even if he’d want to, I doubt the others would allow it. Trust me Quinn. I won’t open myself for further ridicule. I know better than to waste my time further by being proactive. I know when I’m beaten. I know they don’t care about me. I won’t be setting myself up for disappointment yet again by hoping this time things will be different. I’ve accepted that aside from you and Noah, I won’t have other friends in McKinley.” Rachel admits quietly, the rest of her breakfast untouched. Thank the heavens for caffeine though.

Quinn wants to say that the diva is wrong. Even though Brittany came to Rachel’s defence, there’s no guarantee what will happen after their break. “I’ll support you in whatever you decide, Rach. Thanks for being so selfless.” is what she manages to say eventually.

The school day is similar to their last one before Thanksgiving. Everyone is still sure this is some ploy from Quinn, and the bets are still going on. They’re just careful about most of their comments being made out of Quinn’s earshot after they hear about Cheerios practice earlier. They don’t want to be on the receiving end of Puck or the Ice Queen’s wrath. They all remember what happened to Karofsky the last time the jock slushied the diva.

Rachel is pleasantly surprised that her day has been harassment free for the most part. It may have helped that she spent the day with Quinn, Puck and surprisingly enough, Brittany. The taller blonde had gone as far as to apologise to Rachel for being mean. The only altercation came when she told the other two she was returning to glee in the afternoon. It had hurt when Puck called her a doormat, but twin glares from Quinn and Brittany and the devastation in Rachel’s face were enough for the boy to beg for forgiveness and promise that he’d show up for glee practice and behave.

*********

Once Quinn is alone with Puck in their shared last period class, she takes the opportunity to rip him a new one. “Jesus fucking Christ, Puck. You had the balls to warn me about being sincere to Rachel with my offer of friendship, and you go and call her a doormat the moment she does something you don’t agree with?” She asks in a harsh whisper.

“Get off your high horse Ba, uh, Quinn. You’re just as pissed she’s going back to the vultures as I am. I’m just man enough to say what you’re thinking as well.” Puck replies just as harsh.

“It never crossed my mind she’s a doormat. She explained why she’s returning. I don’t like it, but I respect her decision. Do what a real friend would. Support her and be there to defend her from the rest.” Quinn says.

“Come on Quinn. You know she won’t accept being in the background for long. We both know that they’ll see her return as some fucked up victory and they’ll make her beg just for the chance to sing, background or not.” Puck says sadly, though there’s still some fire in his voice.

“Maybe, maybe not. We’ll have to wait and see. For now, just support her and be there for her.” Quinn says. Even though Rachel had shared most of her reasons for returning and her plans, she had not shared everything with Puck and Brittany. Quinn figures it’s only because the taller blonde was present, but she still won’t betray Rachel’s trust by repeating what they had discussed at Starbucks.

*********

Out of habit, Rachel is early to the choir room, but instead of warming up the way she normally would, she chooses to sit as far back as she can. She fishes out her iPod and hits shuffle before she starts to do homework. She puts her music away once Quinn joins her. Instead of talking, they both concentrate on their homework.

Puck sits quietly a couple of seats away by Rachel’s other side after a quick and subdued greeting. He’s still ashamed at his outburst. He knows Rachel has forgiven him, but he knows things won’t be quite the same for a little while. He knows better than to lose his cool like that, but it was so hard not to say something after learning the diva would be returning to glee even after they had treated her like shit and had the fucking balls to blame her for not arranging their songs when they never gave her a chance. He hates himself for calling her a doormat, even if it’s true in his mind. At least Rachel is sitting in the back doing homework, instead of warming up by the piano, or sitting in the front row waiting eagerly for the rest to arrive.

*********

As expected, the others aren’t surprised to see Rachel is back.

Mercedes wastes no time and immediately tells Rachel she knew the diva was desperate enough to come crawling back.

Artie, afraid of being shunned by the few friends he has, readily agrees with Mercedes.

Tina and Mike shake their heads at the comments, but for now, refrain from saying anything.

Brittany, surprisingly enough, walks in by herself, and promptly sits down beside Quinn.

Santana walks in and immediately notices the diva in the back. The only reason she doesn’t say anything derogatory is because she doesn’t want to have another fight with Brittany. She knows the dancer is only speaking to her again after she promised not to say mean things to and about the midget.

Sam does a double take when he sees Rachel in the back. He was sure after her diva explosion before Thanksgiving that she wouldn’t come back immediately.

Finn smirks when he sees Rachel is back. He knows it’s only a matter of time before she comes crawling back to him. He already plans on making her beg before he takes her back.

Lauren shakes her head when she sees Rachel. Figures the diva would be too weak to stand her ground. No wonder she’s such a target. Not only is she a loser, she makes herself a bigger loser for being so pathetic. She reluctantly sits beside Puck because she doesn’t want to sit alone. Hopefully it’s far enough away from the diva that the others won’t think she has lost her mind like Puckerman or the dumb Cheerio. Like the rest of the school, she’s convinced Fabray is out to destroy the diva.

*********

Rachel closing her eyes and opening them after taking a deep breath is the only reaction they get from her after Mercedes’ words.

Quinn is about to say something, but stops after Rachel shakes her head and places a hand on the Head Cheerio’s forearm.

Puck, afraid of disappointing Rachel again, takes his cues from Quinn and does his best to stay calm. The only indication he gives that he heard Mercedes’ comments are his fists clenching by his side. At least the others have the decency to stay quiet.

Brittany uncharacteristically glares at most of her teammates, but like the Quinn and Puck, she stays put.

Thankfully, for once in his life, Schuester is on time. Like Finn, he smirks when he sees Rachel in the back. He knew she wouldn’t quit for real. He remembers how desperate for acceptance Rachel was when they had finally become a real group. Still, he knows he can’t let her get away with disrespecting him the way she did. Not only that, Rachel’s attitude had caused Quinn and Puck to be just as disrespectful. As a teacher, he can’t allow his students to behave in such a poor manner.

“I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.” Schuester says to the assembled group as a way of greeting them and making sure his presence is known.

They answer with mumbled ‘yeahs’ and ‘boring’ and ‘too short’. Schuester shakes his head good naturedly because he still remembers how when he was a student in McKinley, he always wished they had longer breaks. Before they all start complaining about school, he clears his throat.

“All right guys. Before we begin, I believe Rachel owes us all an apology for being so rude to us and having such a rotten attitude lately.” Schuester says with a pointed look at the diva.

Some of them giggle at the prospect of Rachel begging Mr. Schue for forgiveness. Some of them look down to their laps because they know that everything Rachel said was true. They can’t help but think it’s a shame that Rachel has to once again, swallow her pride just for the right to be there with them when in the past, no one else has had to do something similar, regardless of how awful they may have been.

Surprisingly, Rachel has yet to lift her head from whatever book has her attention.

Quinn and Puck once again, take their cues from the diva, and do their best to keep their tempers in check.

Brittany looks sadly between Rachel and Mr. Schue. She knew their teacher was going to say something mean. She is tempted to say something, but for now remains quiet. She had promised Rachel earlier that she wasn’t going to do anything if the others were mean again. It hurts her when she sees how sad Rachel is, even though the singer is trying her best to not show it.

Schuester’s patience begins to wear thin when he realises that Rachel not only is refusing to apologise like she should. But the diva is outright ignoring him. He deliberately walks to the back row in order to demand an explanation for this latest insubordination.

Mercedes, Finn, Lauren and Artie eagerly wait for the fireworks to start.

Sam is unsure of what to do. After his conversation with Quinn, he isn’t sure whose side to take. He knows Finn expects him to side with him, but what Puck had said to them finally had the desired effect. During the break, he realised that no matter what, other than calling him and Quinn ‘Ken and Barbie’, Rachel has never been rude to him. She even offered him vocal lessons once she had gotten over the duet being reassigned to Quinn and him.

Tina and Mike sigh and hope nothing bad happens. As usual, Mr. Schue ignores what anyone else had said after Rachel’s speech and once again, zeroed in on one of their resident divas while ignoring the others. They think that if Rachel has to apologise for her words, then Mercedes and Santana should as well.

“Rachel, isn’t there something you need to say to me and the rest of your teammates?” Schuester says when he’s standing in front of the diva.

Rachel marks her place in the book she has been reading since she set foot in the choir room before she slowly lifts her gaze to meet their teacher’s. “I believe I have nothing to say at the moment, Mr. Schuester.” She says quietly.

Schuester’s left eye twitches at the reply. “Rachel, you owe us all, but especially me an apology for being so rude and disrespectful before Thanksgiving break.” He replies, his voice rising slightly.

“I fail to see how I was rude or disrespectful. After all, I only answered yours and everyone else’s questions once I finally had a chance to speak without anyone interrupting me.” Rachel says in the same monotone.

“Rachel, your attitude then was very disrespectful, just like it is now. What you said was uncalled for. I understand you were disappointed but you can’t have all the solos. Punishing New Directions wasn’t the way to show your disappointment. Everyone has to have the chance to shine. You’re not the only good singer in the group. Throwing a temper tantrum and being rude isn’t going to make me change my mind. If you don’t apologise, I’ll be force to suspend you from glee. I can’t have you showing such disregard for authority.” Schuester says.

Rachel fights the urge to say anything else. She knows it’s a losing battle. She isn’t surprised that once again, their teacher has chosen to single her out. She spares a glance at Quinn and silently begs the blonde to refrain from talking back. There’s no point in both of them getting in trouble. “I apologise for my attitude.” She finally says after what feels like an eternity.

Schuester smiles victorious and walks back to the front to the whiteboard to begin his lesson.

Quinn grabs Rachel’s hand to offer the diva comfort, and to ground herself. She knows that even though she can’t really get in trouble for talking back (Coach would never allow it) it would just come back to bite Rachel. She can’t believe Mr. Schue blames Rachel. She’s beyond pissed at the man. There has to be another way for Rachel to gain the attention of the colleges she’s interested in.

Puck’s jaw drops, but after Rachel’s explanation and his guilt for his less than kind comment, he bites back his need to yell at Rachel to stop being so nice and yell at Mr. Schue to stop being such a jerk.

Before anything else can be said, Schuester begins their lesson. “We need to be better prepared for Regionals because unlike Sectionals, we won’t be able to get away with a tie.” He says to the group in general. “Rachel, as co-captain, you’ll need to shape up and come up with better ideas to inspire your team, or I’ll have to reconsider the number of solos you get and your position as co-captain. Now that I know you can arrange music, I expect you to put in your weight. I won’t tolerate further slacking off from you in the future.” He adds looking at the diva.

Rachel doesn’t bother to look up from her book.

Quinn, Puck, Brittany, Mike, Tina and Sam can’t believe their ears.

After droning on for a while longer before Schuester comes up with some new assignment, and dangling the chance of a new solo for the rest of the practice, most are surprised to see that Rachel isn’t jumping at the chance to showcase her voice. She isn’t even jumping at the chance to arrange this song. She just continues to do her homework. They were all sure Rachel would do her damndest to show how useful she is, just to have the chance for another solo and to gain Mr. Schue’s approval.

Quinn raises an eyebrow and sees where Rachel is going with this. She only hopes that their teacher won’t take it out on the diva yet again.

Puck chuckles in the background while Mercedes and Santana fight for the solo. He looks at his fellow Jew and tries to figure out the best way to get her out of this new funk.

Finn glares at Puck when he notices his former best friend staring at Rachel. He wonders how long he’ll have to wait for Rachel to come crawling back. Maybe he’ll have to do something to show his girlfriend that even though he’s mad, he’s willing to forgive him if she asks for it.

Tina, Mike and Sam wait and see what will happen next. They don’t want to be caught in the crossfire.

Lauren shakes her head at the diva. She wants to shake some sense into the girl.

Brittany surprises everyone when she approaches Rachel and Quinn and asks them for help with her homework.

Schuester fights to keep his annoyance in check at Rachel’s apparent defiance. He knows he can’t say anything because he realises he made the mistake of not saying this song is mandatory. He had told them it was a way to get them back into the flow of things. He thinks that maybe Rachel thinks he was bluffing. To ensure his point is made, he splits the solo between Mercedes and Santana. He arranges the chorus between the rest, with the exception of Rachel. She only gets a few harmonies while swaying in the background.

The rest just think Rachel is staying quiet because she’s afraid she’d be punished further if she so much as opens her mouth to offer her opinion.

When the song is over, they can’t quite figure out why it sounded off. Eventually they blame it on their post holiday blahs. Schuester is tempted to say something, but after glancing at the clock on the wall and seeing that their time is up, and after noticing the mutinous looks on Quinn, Puck and Brittany, he decides to dismiss them. He doesn’t want to say anything to them, because he doesn’t want to risk them quitting for real. He knows replacing three members is next to impossible and he needs to make sure they can compete. Besides, he wholeheartedly believes that in order for his punishment to Rachel to be effective and for his point to be made, he has to give it enough time for his words to sink it. This way, Rachel will be begging him to let her work on their future arrangements and he’ll have the arrangements needed to qualify for Nationals.

Rachel is the first one to leave the choir room after they’re dismissed.

 

TBC


End file.
